Democratic Party (DP) national chairman Muhammad Kezaala last night resigned after he was appointed deputy ambassador by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
He awaits Parliament’s approval.
His appointment was perceived by top opposition members as a grand political move by Museveni to disintegrate the oldest party in Uganda.
In a statement he issued, Kezaala said he decided to resign so as to fully take up the new job.
“I wish to communicate that as I have been proposed in the diplomatic service as a Deputy Ambassador, a position that requires one to serve outside the country, I will be unable to serve the party,” said Kezaala.
“Accordingly allow me tender in my resignation as national chairman with immediate effect.”
Kezaala said that since his new job requires him to be out of the country most of the time, he wouldn’t be able to serve his party as required of him forcing him to resign.
He also noted that his new position being a civil service job that requires one not be partisan, he had to resign his DP position.
“It has raised a lot of anxiety from many party members and I have decided to tender in my resignation,” he added.
For a long time, a section of DP members have been questioning Kezaala’s loyalty referring to him as a mole.
Kezaala now joins another DP stalwart Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi who was appointed Minister of State for Youth.
The FDC radicals since last week have been using social media platforms to pour scorn on DP and scoff at Kezaala’s deployment saying there is only one genuine opposition party- FDC.
Democratic Party is expected to react to Kezaala’s resignation later in the day while addressing the media at the party head offices at city house.