A group of opposition Forum for Democratic Change(FDC) NEC members has asked party members to boycott the ongoing internal party elections organized by the president Patrick Amuriat and Secretary General Nandala Mafabi.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, 03 August 2023, in Kampala, a section of the members of FDC National Executive Committee (NEC), who include Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and his deputy Doreen Nyanjura, Buhweju County MP Francis Mwijukye and Kabale Municipality MP, Dr Nicholas Kamara, among others, demanded that the Toterebuka Bamwenda party Electoral Commission be disbanded and a new, credible and impartial electoral commission be instituted.
They also demanded that Nandala, Amuriat and any other party leaders who intend to participate in the election as a candidate, step aside and an interim leadership be constituted to steer the party up to the next delegates’ conference
“These illegal and manipulated selections by Nandala and his group are in total violation of the June 16th 239th National Executive Committee (NEC) decision. The Toterebuka Bamwenda commission has no register. When these selections taking place are concluded, it will be handed names for it to conduct district elections. That is what is going on,” Ssemujju said.
According to the roadmap issued by Bamwenda, the party constituency elections were set to be held between July, 31 and August 1 before district elections set for today, August 3 until August 6.
But Ssemujju described the said elections as selections.
“To qualify as a voter and candidate, one must possess a valid party card. After supplying party cards only to his supporters, Nandala stopped issuance of party cards. The intention was to lockout many party members from the electoral exercise. This so called elections has no electoral officials. Some fellows were picked by some district chairmen and Nandala and trained as district electoral officials for one day. They were dispatched to train sub-county and parish electoral officials,” he said.
He demanded that a transparent register of all FDC members be compiled before another election can be held.
He also said the National Executive Committee (NEC) should be immediately convened to consider the budget for the election.
MP Mwijukye accused Mafabi and Amuriat of using polls to officially hand over the political party to President Museveni.
“We are aware one of the issues that Nandala and his group agreed upon with Mr. Museveni is to organize this sham election to portray the Electoral Commission by Justice Byabakama as being credible. It is not a coincidence it has happened at a time when Electoral Commission launched its roadmap for 2026 general election,” he said.
“We know their plan is to make sure that during the sham election by Nandala Mafabi and his group, some security personnel from Museveni are selected as leaders so that when we go to the delegates conference, the party is finally handed over to Museveni. We however want to warn them that FDC is not like any other parties that Museveni has taken over. It is deep rooted. We shall do whatever is humanly possible to ensure Museveni only takes over Nandala, Amuriat and their cohorts and not FDC party,” he warned.
On his part, Mr Lukwago said as members of the FDC National Executive Committee duly recognized by the constitution, they are ready to fight for the survival of the party.
“We are seated here because our party headquarters were taken over by goons but otherwise, we would be there executing our business. If it is anything, it is Nandala and Amuriat who are running a faction. The executive is here and ready to execute business,” he said.
“To date, the two or three individuals who have hijacked the management of our party are not allowing those processes to take place. We are not only stopping them by mere proclamations but we are to do everything possible to stop whatever is going on. This party is not a property of two or three individuals taking is as a briefcase party but rather has robust structures rolled out countrywide,” he added.
Nyanjura said as party members, they are ready to protect the future of the party.
“I am going to do everything possible, use all means necessary to rally members of FDC to come out and defend their party. It seems Nandala has forgotten FDC members who can’t be paid to support someone deployed by Museveni. The FDC members I know can’t be beaten and silenced on gunpoint to start supporting Nandala and POA. The FDC members I know are not going to give up on democracy. The FDC members I know are not going to give up fighting for the party and cause change. We are not going to give up but use all measures necessary to ensure the dictators at Najjankumbi exit,” she stressed.
