Kampala, Uganda – Mityana South MP, Richard Lumu, has exposed the Democratic Party’s most controversial secret, claiming that senior members of his party secretly held meetings with General Salim Saleh, the Chief Coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation, to solicit funding for the upcoming DP delegates’ conference.
Speaking during a press briefing, Lumu, who is contesting for the position of DP Secretary General, did not mince words, branding the alleged meeting as a betrayal of the party’s historical independence and legacy.
“What business do senior DP leaders have meeting a serving general of the ruling regime to raise funds for our internal processes?” Lumu questioned, visibly unsettled. “Are we for sale now?”
The outspoken MP did not reveal specific names, but his statements have sent shockwaves through Uganda’s oldest political party, known for its long-standing ideological opposition to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
According to Lumu, the meeting in question involved undisclosed top DP leaders and took place in recent weeks at one of Gen Saleh’s known locations in Gulu. To secure logistical and financial support for organizing the party’s upcoming delegates’ conference, an event expected to redefine the direction of the Democratic Party ahead of the 2026 general elections.
Lumu insists that such backdoor dealings compromise the integrity of the party and create an unholy alliance with forces that DP has historically resisted.
bOperation Wealth Creation, headed by President Museveni’s brother, Gen Salim Saleh, is officially a national poverty alleviation initiative. But to critics, it’s a political tentacle of the NRM used to extend soft influence into civil society and the opposition. Lumu’s claims suggest that DP’s internal structures may already be infiltrated.
“This is how regimes kill political parties from within by funding them under the guise of support,” Lumu charged.
Democratic Party leadership has not yet issued an official response to Lumu’s accusations.
Richard Lumu’s candidacy for Secretary General comes amid an intense battle to rejuvenate a party many feel has lost its bite. With veteran leaders perceived as out of touch and younger politicians like Lumu pushing for radical reforms, the DP is standing at a crossroads.
Lumu’s allegations could serve as a litmus test for the party’s democratic soul and institutional resilience or unravel it altogether.
Also Read: Anti-Corruption Unit Nabs Key Suspects in UGX 70M Land Bribery Scandal
