Jordan Mubangizi
Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) president Engineer Patrick Oboi Amuriat has dismissed as rumours that some party members have defected to the New Formation.
Amuriat says that FDC has worked hard for 14 years to bring about change in Uganda and it will not allow that effort to laid to waste.
The FDC president says he is not aware of any defections as has been reported in the press.
The Nile Post reported last week that at least 63 members of FDC western region had openly declared that they were leaving FDC to join the New Formation. The New Formation is led by former FDC President Major General (rtd) Mugisha Muntu.
But Amuriat insists, “I am not aware of the members and leaders that have left the party and until I’m informed formally, I will leave it as gossip.”
Amuriat says the only members who have formally renounced their membership of FDC are Mugisha Muntu and former deputy party president for eastern region Alice Alaso.
He says that while many people are surprised by Alaso’s announcement, Alaso had been inactive for at least two years. He says that Alaso had declined to attend any NEC meetings for the party since Amuriat’s 2017 electoral victory.
Amuriat says FDC is focused more in its non-violent struggle to unseat President Yoweri Museveni’s regime. Passionately laying out his vision, Amuriat says, “We have people in jails, others have broken families while other have died due to our political activities. We cannot let this go to waste.”
However, FDC Secretary General Nandala Mafabi’s communication that all party members must declare their loyalty afresh has led some to wonder if it is not acting in panic mode.
In a communication that FDC spokesperson Semujju Nganda distanced himself from, Mafabi informed all rank anf file that they must inform the leadership in writing whether they were still party members. Mafabi also went ahead to inform departing members like Muntu to leave behind FDC property including branded cups and tables.
Geoffrey Ekanya, an FDC member, disagrees with the approach his party leadership has taken. He says, “You can’t chase away members, because how many do you have in the first place? We need to be talking and dialoguing with them to come back rather than to chase them.”
FDC president Amuriat is set to travel to the Rwenzori region where he will hold meetings with party members. Former Leader of Opposition Winnie Kiiza comes from the Rwenzori region and is Woman MP for Kasese. Kiiza has expressed dissatisfaction with Amuriat’s leadership of FDC. Kiiza has appeared publicly with Muntu at New Formation political functions.
This trip is part of FDC’s countrywide tour.
