Besides Besigye, who else can hold FDC’s flag in a Presidential election?

The Electoral Commission (EC) has already released the road map for 2021 elections, while the parliament has passed the rules and regulations of parties and organisations for the general elections.

So far, 50 people have expressed interest in running for the presidency, notably absent in the current list is Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party strongman and all-time presidential flag bearer, Dr. Kiiza Besigye.

Besigye has without a doubt been and could arguably still be the strongest opposition candidate against the ruling National Resistance Movement unchanged candidate, the incumbent Yoweri Museveni.

However, for the very first time in four election years, there is a question with not so straight an answer on who FDC has lined up as their flag bearer for the showdown with Museveni.

So, who does FDC have their eyes on?

The party is currently stuck on the way forward, yet they proceeding without a flag bearer for a party of their stature, FDC would be writing a very grave mistake for their future.

It would be a very loud and bad statement for FDC to proceed into the elections without a flag bearer for the presidency, even if they were to head into a coalition.

Unspoken rules require that such parties first pick someone to lead them through an election even if they will in the end sit on a table and negotiate to front a candidate backed by a coalition.

It is therefore incumbent that the party starts dusting their suggestion boxes for possible names of people that will steer them through the political campaign.

But again, who else apart from a four-time contender, Dr. Kizza Besigye.

The party has previously conceded that they are in talks with Besigye to hold the flag for the presidential elections.

According to sources within the party, Besigye has been approached with the proposal to lead FDC against Museveni and Bobi Wine, but he is yet to deliver an answer.

Why Besigye?

The source maintains that by far, Besigye is the most popular person FDC can afford and he commands a good following both in the party and outside it.

Besigye also happens to carry with him the irreplaceable card in FDC just like Museveni does for NRM. The two men have built cults within the parties and without them, very little is achieved.

The two have also been good politicians and have so much achieved that role, as much as they have failed to prepare their parties to live without them.

Ever since Besigye distanced himself from party activities and chose to proceed with people's government, the FDC party social media platforms have carried more content about Besigye that party activities or their President’s activities.

This means that Besigye remains FDC’s preferred anchorman even without his formal acceptance.

Besigye has also traversed this country a record four times while campaigning, his experience and popularity across the country, deep in the village and remote townships can not be taken for granted.

In such a time, the party would not be willing to gamble on a novice or invest in promoting someone else, when a self-made man of Besigye’s caliber exists.

What are the stakes for Besigye?

The problem however is that Besigye has indicated previously that he has less belief in elections organized by the Electoral Commission which is set up by President Museveni.

Hence participating in them actively would be contradicting himself, something he never does. But again, going quiet on a party he has given so much of his life to, would be painful decision to make, he will have disappointed many that look up to him as an option in the midst of hopelessness.

It is therefore a choice between turning back on his own word and leaving his party in the cold.

Bobi Wine?

The party has recently been seen hobnobbing with People Power founder Bobi Wine, and bells for a coalition were sounded.

However, the coalition sounds went mute as soon as the press conference ended, with each side refuting possibilities of a coalition even in the near future.

FDC is big and proud enough, that they would not walk the party and hand it to Bobi Wine unless it happens the other way round- Bobi Wine brings people the power to FDC.

This means that there is a huge possibility of FDC backing Bobi Wine if he runs to the party to seek a ticket, but this entirely works with Besigye out of the picture.

The only issue is that Bobi Wine and his supporters already feel they are bigger than FDC in all aspects and it should be the latter to plead with the former.

Moses Byamugisha

Born and raised in the FDC party, Moses Byamugisha was the first candidate who offered himself to the party as a willing contender for the presidential flag bearer card.

However, Byamugisha’s intentions suffered a set back as soon as he opened his mouth. The party disowned him immediately.

Indeed, Byamugisha had not consulted the party before declaring his ambitions and so he chose to proceed as a purely independent candidate.

The 34-year-old previously tried rising through the party by seeking the position of party presidency once and his performance in the ballot box was abysmal.

FDC is an open party and now that they are yet to announce elections for their flag bearer, it is possible that Byamugisha can still make a U-turn and go through the procedures for election as a flag bearer. Unless of course, he has long moved on.

Other members like Nandala Mafabi, Patrick Oboi Amuriat, Betty Aol Achan can take a shot at the presidential flag, but that will be only as good as not showing up, so Besigye it is.