Uganda's Democratic Party has failed to reach a consensus on how to react to the Political Organisations Bill, signed into law last week by President Yoweri Museveni.

A meeting held at the party's at Christ the King Church Hall in Kampala on May 31, caused division in the party ranks, with some members saying compliance with the new law would result changes in the party, which in the recent months has been criticised for weak leadership.

Existing political parties have up to six months from June 6 to register or risk becoming illegal organisations. According to section 6 of the new law, all existing political parties – the DP, the Uganda People's Congress (UPC) led by exiled former president, Apollo Milton Obote and the Conservative Party (CP) of former Minister of Finance Mayanja Nkangi – will cease to legally exist if they failed to register anew.

Members who attended the DP meeting said the party failed to agree to defy the clause requiring fresh registration of parties.

"We failed to agree on whether party should abide by the new law and seek re-registration before the expiry of six months as required by the new law," said the source.

However, DP's president general, Dr Paul Ssemogerere, told The EastAfrican that the meeting was heated one.

Dr Ssemogerere said he believed that the DP did not need to register afresh after having been in existence for over 50 years.

"Even if we do not register, DP is recognised in the 1995 Constitution," he said, adding that banning the party would make it even stronger. UPC and the Conservative Party have vowed to defy the new law. Some members of the DP opposed to the present party leadership support the requirement to register afresh as it seen as an opportunity to reorganise the party, which has been embroiled in internal squabbling between the Young Turks and the old generation of leaders.

President Museveni signed the Political Organisations Bill 2002 into law on May 9, after it went through parliament amid strong opposition from politicians and diplomats in Kampala who support a return to multipartyism.

Following the opposition to the Bill, it was hoped that President Museveni would delay assenting to it pending amendments.

Giving the example of the African National Congress that was once banned by the former South African apartheid regime, DP officials who urge defiance of the new law said that historically political parties become popular when they were banned.

"We do not fear being banned, but you cannot ask a party that has been in existence for over 50 years to register again," said a Member of Parliament, Mr Michael Mabikke. Other important clauses of the Act include the requirement for political parties to hold elections and a national conference "only in the fourth year of the term of parliament."

Parties are also prohibited from receiving donations that exceed Ush100 million ($51,140) annually from foreigners. They are also required to declare any donations, loan or contribution from foreign sources to the Registrar-General within 21 days of receiving them.

The Act also provides that no party or political organisation shall "open branches below the national level."

Parties and political organisations are also prohibited from holding more than one national conference in a year.

They are prohibited from holding public meetings except for the national conference, executive committee, seminars and conferences at the national level.

The law also bans the formation and registration of new political parties until 2005.