Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze Bakireke has accused Democratic Party (DP) president general Norbert Mao of double standards after he criticized her of joining Besigye’s People’s Government.

Last week, Dr Kizza Besigye, Uganda’s veteran opposition leader, inaugurated the people’s cabinet and assembly at an event held in Wakiso district.

At least three members of Besigye’s People’s Government Cabinet are drawn from the DP and its factions.

Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago is the vice president, Nambooze is the government’s information minister while Makindye West MP Allan Ssewanyana is in charge of youths and sports.

Nambooze and Mao have for years been entangled in a fight that has seen the party divided along ‘good DP’ and ‘bad DP’.

Some DP members are accused of working with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party and government of President Yoweri Museveni.

On Tuesday, Mao labelled Nambooze, Lukwago and Ssewanyana DP ‘watermelons’.

“We don’t want watermelons in DP,” said Mao during a press conference at the party headquarters in Kampala.

“Those who are only green outside but many colours inside.”

Watermelons have smooth green skins and red pulps. Green is the official color of DP while red is the color of the People’s Government.

“There is no way you can be immersed in full leadership of another political party and belong to the Democratic Party at the same time,” said Mao.

In response, Nambooze has labelled Mao a “pumpkin”.

“If we are water melons, then you are a pumpkin with yellow substances,” Nambooze said at parliament on Wednesday.

A pumpkin has a yellow, green or orange skin, while its pulp is either yellow or orange.

Nambooze accuses Mao of double standards. She has reminded him that he backed former prime minister, also former NRM secretary general, Amama Mbabazi, in the 2016 presidential election.

There are also some DP members serving in the NRM government but the DP is yet to suspend them. One of them is youth minister Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi.

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