Democratic Party (DP) President General and Norbert Mao and secretary general Gerald Blacks Siranda on Wednesday, July 20, led the political organization in signing a cooperation agreement with President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni’s ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
When the news and some details of the State House Entebbe meeting became public, Mao’s and DP’s critics suggested that Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze Bakireke could have been right to call Mao a pumpkin — which is green outside but yellow inside. Green is the official color of the Democratic Party while yellow is NRM’s official color.
ambooze’s description of Mao as a ‘pumpkin’ was in response to the DP’s leader’s labelling of her and others as watermelons: green (DP) outside but red (People’s Government) inside. Mao’s anger with Nambooze followed the Mukono Municipality MP’s appointment as a leader in Dr Kizza Besigye’s People’s Government (which used the red color).
Months before the 2021 parliamentary and presidential elections, Mao’s DP would suffer a huge blow as several of its top leaders, including MPs like Nambooze, from the Buganda sub-region jumped ship, crossing over to Robert Kyagulanyi’s National Unity Platform (NUP), which would later win about 60 seats in the country’s Parliament, eclipsing Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) to become Uganda’s main opposition party.
“Sir, you are right saying that we are like watermelons –green outside, red inside. You did not like, that is how we are. Inside, we believe in that red color which calls for the unity of Ugandans to liberate themselves from the oppression of the state,” said Nambooze.
“And Mr Mao, if we are to compare ourselves with fruits, you are also like a pumpkin — green outside but yellow inside. We are tired of political party leaders who are helping this government to stay in power.”
There are reports that Museveni could soon announce the appointment of Norbert Mao as the new Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister.
