The Katonga faction of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) says it has asked commercial banks to block Patrick Amuriat, Nandala Mafabi and Geoffrey Ekanya from accessing the party accounts.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, 25 September 2023, the acting president of the Katonga faction, Mr Erias Lukwago, also said they have dragged the Najjanankumbi leadership for holding illegal nominations last week as well as meting out violence on party members who had turned up for the delegates conference called by party chairman Waswa Birigwa.
“We have the Secretary-General and the Treasurer as signatories to the party accounts who are in suspension. As long as they remain in suspension, their signatures on those accounts cannot be valid. We have also issued communications to the banks about the management of the accounts of the party,” Lukwago said.
During their extra-ordinary delegates’ conference that was held at Katonga offices in Kampala last Tuesday, the Birigwa-led faction suspended Amuriat, Nandala and Ekanya, as well as the the electoral commission chairperson, Mr Boniface Toterebuka Bamwenda.
Mr Lukwago, who until Tuesday was deputy president for Central/Buganda region, was appointed by the delegates as interim party president. Deputy secretary general Harold Kaija was chosen as Mr Mafabi’s temporary replacement, while Mr Francis Mwijukye was picked as the stand-in treasurer general.
They will hold these positions for six months. The party electoral body was disbanded and a new team announced, to be chaired by Mr Micheal Kabaziguruka
The conference was originally meant to take place at Busabala but the venue was blocked by police, who said it was illegal since court had opposed it.
However, the Birigwa faction still held the conference at Katonga offices in Kampala.
But some party members who had turned up at Busabala and even Katonga were beaten up by goons, allegedly hired by the Najjanankumbi faction.
And now the FDC Katonga group says the Najjanankumbi faction must face court over violence that was meted against its delegates who had gathered for the Extra-Ordinary Delegates Conference.
These say many of those who were attacked by goons are still nursing injuries.
Lukwago also said they are going to hold a new credible electoral process, saying the one organised by Najjanankumbi last week was illegal.
“We assure you that we are going to conduct a credible electoral process befitting the party our forefathers established, and the constitution is respected in that regard,” he said.
“We filed a civil suit in the High Court against Toterubuka Bamwenda for holding out as Chief Electoral Commissioner of the party without being duly elected or appointed by the National Delegates Conference as stipulated in the party’s constitution.
The third charge against Toterubuka Bamwenda is rolling out the election roadmap without the approval of the National Executive Committee,” he said.
At the same presser, Wasswa Birigwa said: “FDC is in the hearts of the members of FDC not at Najjanankumbi. Najjanankumbi is just a building. Here (Katonga) is where the soul and the ‘holy spirit’ of FDC exist.”
Acting party treasurer and Buhweju MP Francis Mwijukye also said they are also warning the public and supporters against working with suspended leaders.
Lukwago also said they intend to speak to colleagues fighting for freedom either to work together or harmonize their operations.
“We will reach out to our brothers in DP and UPC, whose political parties have been taken over by the junta. We need to develop the network and rescue our institutions together. In the broader struggle, we shall reach out to our brothers in NUP, ANT, JEEMA and others,” he said.
