East Africa Observer | Masaka
As Hon. Richard Sebamala marks his birthday today, the Bukoto Central Member of Parliament finds himself at the centre of one of the Democratic Party’s most consequential internal battles — a struggle over the identity, independence and political direction of Uganda’s oldest opposition party.
Born on 27 September 1979, Sebamala, a civil engineer and politician from Masaka District, has emerged as one of the most outspoken voices challenging the direction taken by the Democratic Party leadership.
His political journey has increasingly become intertwined with the wider contest over the future of DP.
Sebamala was among the party leaders who challenged the 2022 cooperation agreement between DP and the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), an agreement that placed DP President General Norbert Mao at the centre of a working relationship with President Yoweri Museveni.
Under the agreement signed in July 2022, DP committed to cooperation with the NRM government on specified governance and parliamentary matters, while Mao was subsequently appointed Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
For Sebamala, however, that arrangement represented a fundamental departure from the political identity of the Democratic Party.
He has argued that the political partnership is essentially a relationship between Mao and the NRM, rather than a mandate representing the entire Democratic Party membership.
That position has made Sebamala one of the most visible internal critics of Mao’s leadership.
In 2025, as Mao sought another term as DP President General, Sebamala publicly positioned himself as a challenger and accused the leadership of presiding over the decline of the party. He described himself as a champion of DP’s independence and called for the party to reclaim its original political purpose.
Sebamala has since asserted that he is the rightful DP President.
A LONE DP VOICE IN BUGANDA
The significance of Sebamala’s political position has also grown because of the Democratic Party’s reduced parliamentary presence.
Following the 2026 elections, DP won six parliamentary seats nationally, with Sebamala’s Bukoto Central constituency being the party’s only parliamentary victory outside northern Uganda.
That makes Sebamala an important parliamentary face of DP in the Central Region and, politically, a prominent representative of the party’s historic Buganda base.
From Bukoto Central in Masaka, his political message has remained centred on an independent opposition identity and the restoration of what he describes as the Democratic Party’s original mission.
A TECHNICAL MIND IN PARLIAMENT
Beyond the political battles, Sebamala has also built a reputation for exceptional performance in Parliament, particularly in committee work, where his technical training has proved a significant advantage. His background in Civil Engineering, together with a Master’s degree, has shaped a methodical and analytical approach to parliamentary scrutiny. In committee rooms, he is known for engaging deeply with technical details, interrogating figures and challenging proposals that require careful examination rather than political rhetoric. His engineering training has given him the ability to break down complex issues, identify gaps and demand practical answers — qualities that have made him a formidable participant in parliamentary oversight. For Sebamala, Parliament is not simply a political arena; it is also a place where policy, public expenditure and government programmes must withstand rigorous scrutiny.
BIRTHDAY WISHES
For his supporters, Sebamala’s birthday therefore provides more than an occasion for celebration. It is an opportunity to recognise a politician who has chosen to remain publicly engaged in one of the most difficult internal debates in Uganda’s opposition politics.
Birthday wishes from across the political family
Messages of goodwill have poured in from political figures and allies who have recognised Sebamala’s contribution to the Democratic Party and his continued public engagement.
Among those celebrating him are DP Vice President for the Western Region Imamu Makumbi, former MP Fred Kayondo, DP Treasurer Hon. Babirye Kabanda, DP Chairman Masaka Leaders Ntuwa John Baptist, Dennis Majwala, NÉED spokesperson Moses Matovu and PFF’s Dennis Tumuhairwe.
Their messages reflect the network of political relationships Sebamala has built around the DP debate — from party officials and former legislators to opposition actors beyond DP.
At 47, Sebamala enters another year of his political life carrying a question that has followed him throughout the recent chapter of his career:
Can the Democratic Party reclaim its traditional opposition identity while navigating the political realities created by its cooperation with the ruling establishment?
For Sebamala, the answer appears to be rooted in independence.
His birthday comes at a time when DP is attempting to rebuild its parliamentary and grassroots presence after a difficult electoral period. The party’s six seats in the 2026 Parliament underline the scale of that challenge.
And as the party looks toward the future, Sebamala’s political voice — particularly from its lone parliamentary foothold in Central Uganda — is likely to remain part of the conversation.
For now, however, the political contest can pause for a moment.
Happy 47th Birthday, Hon. Richard Sebamala — Bukoto Central’s legislator, a persistent voice in DP’s internal struggle, and one of the politicians continuing to demand answers about the future direction of Uganda’s oldest opposition party.