Mbale/Kampala — Democratic Party delegates have elected Norbert Mao as the party president, replacing Mr John Ssebaana Kizito.

In the results declared by the returning officer, Mr. Polly Mukiibi in the wee hours of Sunday morning [about 4.41am] Mr. Mao polled 708 votes to edge his only rival in the DP race Al-Hajj Ssebagala who garnered 321 votes after spending crazily during internal campaigns.

"According to the power entrusted to me by DP, I want to declare Mr Norbert Mao as the President General of DP ," Mr Mukiibi as the party's national conference ended in Mbale.

The DP thus finally brought the curtain down on four months of internal wrangling that has left the party split down the middle with a section of the old guard refusing to recognise the proceedings in Mbale.

As counting ensued after 2.00 a.m, delegates waited with bated breath for who would be DP's flag bearer while police maintained a heavy presence at the Mt. Elgon Hotel conference venue.

The leader of the country's oldest party now has to make one important decision: go it alone in the 2011 presidential election with, or to throw in their lot with the Inter-Party Co-operation (IPC), a loose coalition of four other opposition parties.

Under the IPC umbrella, the Forum for Democratic Change, Uganda Peoples Congress, the Conservative Party and Justice Forum have agreed to field a joint candidate to face President Yoweri Museveni who is most likely to run as candidate for the ruling National Resistance Movement.

Speaking at about 1.45 a.m. this morning, Mr Mao sounding confident told Sunday Monitor that "we are well ahead".

"Our job really is to present a new Democratic Party founded on the old principles of truth and justice. We need to make the party relevant to Uganda's young voters," Mr Mao said.

The Gulu District Chairman extended what he called an "olive branch|to whoever has disagreed with this process in the spirit of reconciliation". Noting that his candidature was not just for DP flag bearer, but "for the hopes and aspirations of Uganda's young generation", Mr Mao indicated that he is counting of the youth vote to get him into State House next year.

The conference which attracted at least 1,380 voting delegates chose the new party leadership, regional representatives and made several changes in the party constitution. Up to this point, the DP has steadfastly resisted calls to join the IPC, only promising to cooperate with the other opposition parties during the 2011 campaign.

Although fraught with controversy, the Mbale conference picked a new team that will steer DP as it attempts to regain a foothold in Uganda's politics.

The delegates elected John Kawanga as vice president (Central), with Santos Alima (Northern), Yusuf Mutembule (Eastern) and Imam Makumbi (Western) holding similar portfolios for their respective regions.

Mr Mathias Nsubuga was retained as the party Secretary General while Mr Issa Kikungwe was elected the party National Treasurer deputised by Ms Agnes Mayanja. Jinja Town Mayor Hajj Beswale Kezaala was elected national chairman while Ms Goretti Wanyenze is national secretary. Mr Charles Sserunjongi is the new organising general secretary.

The conference also elected Mr John Kawanga the new party vice president, Mr Fred Mukasa Mbidde, legal advisor deputised by Mr Francis Katabalwa who like the other main senior leaders went through unopposed.

The regional representatives are Mr Andrew Idudi (Elgon Zone), George Komaketch (Northern), George Bukenya Muguimya (Masaka), Ms Sarah Kanyike Ssebagala [Central), Simon Peter Sinama (Teso) and Hatson Oluka (Bukedi).

Others are Alahai Zubayiri (West Nile), Pascal Ogwang (Lango), Moses Nyero (Karamoja), Festo Lukwambwe (Mubende), Herbert Rutagerwa (Ankole) and Fefeka Sserubogo (Mukono Area).

During campaigns

As the two candidates tussled to convince voters, each was judged by their last ditch speeches with either candidate allowed at least 10 minutes to make a final pitch.