By Katongole Arnold
“If Nandala wants to know how heavy it is carrying an elephant on the bicycle, then he is going to know”
“Which kind of political party doesn’t allow its members to gather and talk about their grievances in the party. Today the leaders gathered here are the hope for this party (FDC) to get reduced from the direction its heading. In this meeting Today, we have not gathered to express our interests in positions of power, am free without any position in FDC for as long as there’s peace in the party its only that I wish for” Comments of Hon.Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda in a meeting held on 16th July 2023 at the party head quarters in Najjankumbi to pave way for the conflicts that have caused continuous factions in the party that are only weakening the party in the political arena.
In a national consultative meeting organized at Nsambya Sharing Hall under the theme “Redirecting FDC to Its Core Mission.”The meeting was called by the party spokesperson Hon. Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda , member of parliament for Kira .
The meeting was attended by members of NEC, vice president of FDC in Buganda region and Mayor for Kampala City Ssalongo Erias Lukwago. Still on the guest list were former and present party legislators in parliament , District and local council chairpersons on the FDC ticket among other members of the party.
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Forum for Democratic Party (FDC) hails from the former days of the reform agenda in early 2000, that gave birth to FDC later on with many of its leaders and members at the time from the National Resistance Movement (NRM).
FDC since inception like all political parties in Uganda has faced challenges internal and external, there have been factions in the party before but they still had an edge until the party’s greatest trek in their history when former party president Gen.Mugisha Muntu left the party with core and senior members of the party after the aftermath of the elections in the party that happened at Namboole that saw Eng.Patrick Amuriat become the new and third president of FDC, after founding president Kizza Besigye and Mugisha Muntu.
The shift left the party in check ups to address the problem, however the general elections in 2021 where FDC had a candidate standing for presidency, the party had to move on to the campaign trail of their candidate as well as canvassing voters for their candidates on the other various offices like MPs, LC chairpersons, Mayor’s among other elective positions.
In the previous months, more ditch for reconciliation between the vanquished and Victor factions of the party have grown as matters continue to arise in the party of who is the guilty party. During the meeting different speakers were supposed to address the members gathered at Nsambya including the General Secretary of the party Hon. Nathan Nandala Mafabi and the party president Eng. Patrick Amuriat who didn’t show up for the meeting.
Different members of the party accuse the party leaders of lack of transparency and tranquility and they tag it to the reason for turmoil in the party like many people are leaving the party and others are getting fed up with the party.
Hon. Jonathan Ebalu said “ During the elections of the president I campaigned for general Muntu, they fought me until the district they chased me out of the party but I never left ,they chased me out of the party but I never left.” Another speaker Hon.Mumbaraka Munyagwa former mp for Kawempe South on the ticket of FDC lamented of how he had no competitor on the FDC ticket in Kawempe but not until he knelt before Hon.Mafabi in his office in Kyambogo that he was given the ticket .
When the time for Ssemujju came to speak he said that Nandala is creating all the raucous in the party. Ssemujju says Nandala wants to silence and intimidate everyone in the party but that won’t happen . The Kira legislator went further to allege that Nandala and Amuriat want to sell FDC to NRM like Nobert Mao did to the Democratic Party (DP). He further alleged the two party leaders of being non compliant to accountability . Ssemujju affirmed that there’s money they received but was not accounted for by Amuriat and Nandala but all they did was buy cars and start foundations for building.
emujju’s allegations got backing from the Treasurer General of the party Hon. Francis Mwejuki who affirmed that the money was received but they don’t know where it came from. The confrontations on what next for one of Uganda’s strongest parties especially at the opposition, we look forward to keeping tabs on this story .
