Salaamu Musumba tells Amuriat to give in to change

Former interpreter for Paul Ssemogerere in the 1996 elections tells Dr Kizza Besigye to stop using FDC symbols but Salaamu Musumba won't have any of it

Former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) vice-chairperson Salam Musumba has called on Patrick Amuriat to stop the theatrics and threats against FDC-Katonga faction.

Mr Amuriat heads the FDC party headquartered at Najjanankumbi in Kampala.

With several party members loyal to Dr Kizza Besigye decamping to Katonga after a bitter fallout, Amuriat has been left fuming after the new faction took to national consultative meetings.

The FDC Katonga faction is seeking views of supporters on modalities to form a new political organisation.

But Mr Amuriat on Monday accused his mentor and former leader, Besigye, of misusing FDC symbols.

He threatened to institute legal action against the four-time presidential candidate and his political feathers.

FDC was founded on December 16, 2004, from the Reform Agenda, an offshoot pressure group that brought together several disgruntled members of the National Resistance Army liberation struggle and subsequent Movement system of government.

Mr Amuriat was nowhere close to the party top hierarchy when FDC was founded - although as MP, he is a founding member.

After an unsuccessful attempt in the Constituent Assembly elections in 1994, Amuriat was next seen as interpreter for Dr Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere in the 1996 presidential election in Teso.

In 2001, he won the Kumi MP seat and joined the famous Parliamentary Advocacy Forum or PAFO that was chaired by the venerable Augustine Ruzindana.

In 2017, Amuriat literally rode on Besigye and his loyalists' defiance approach to defeat Gen Mugisha Muntu - whose leadership approach of diplomacy had caused a a quiet discomfort in Najjanankumbi - and claim the FDC presidency in November 2017.

But following a bitter fallout last year, Amuriat is not about to let his erstwhile mentor, Besigye, go around the country adorning FDC party blue colours or flashing the famous V-finger symbols.

Amuriat has warned the "Katonga masqueraders" that they are about to hear from a court.

Amuriat and Jack Sabiiti, the FDC national chairman, have warned their supporters across the country not to listen to Besigye and group who disgruntled and intentioned to break FDC apart.

“It’s okay for the Katonga faction to form a party but they should not do so by ripping FDC apart," Amuriat said.

Citing Gen Muntu who left FDC to form new party, Amuriat said his departure did not break FDC.

But Musumba says it is high time Amuriat left FDC-Katonga faction to consult Ugandans without throwing threats at them.

The FDC-Katonga faction, Musumba said, will soon identify symbols, colours, anthems slogans, flag and so many others insignia for the party they are cooking up.

“The trust that the people of Uganda placed in the FDC-Katonga faction to establish a party is what we are doing,: Musumba said, adding that their consultation meetings are within the ambits of the law.

Musumba said Amuriat owed Ugandans an apology because he "disappointed the party and for taking us to where we are".

"Amuriat, kindly give respect to people of Uganda who are yearning for change and let us be,” she added.