By Jumah Kakomo
The Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party delegates have today, Tuesday 12 September 2023 petitioned party president Patrick Amuriat Oboi against its chairperson and vice chairpersons of Eastern and Western regions.
The petitioners ask for the party president to recommend disciplinary action against these persons due to various reasons. They say they have resolved to petition the party president to recommend disciplinary action against the FDC party chairperson Amb. Wasswa Birigwa, vice chairperson of Western region Roland Mugume Kaginda, and the vice chairperson for Eastern region Salaamu Musumba.
The petition was handed over by the party chairman of Masaka city Ssaalongo Joseph to party Chief administrative officer (CAO) Pollini Namyanzi at the party headquarters Najjanankumbi Kampala during the party delegates from 113 district executives of Uganda that comprises 526 delegates held on 12th Tuesday, September, 2023.
Ssaalongo Joseph says they resolved to petition against these people for vetoing the national council resolutions on party structure elections, failure to attend meetings with the working committee of the party and, failure to support implementation of the decisions of the national council regarding the report of the special elders’ committee.
He further warned party members who oppose the newly elected leadership of the party from village to the district levels in the just concluded elections saying no more elections to be conducted at these levels.
“The party structure election started on the 21st July 2023 and the process was done up to district level and swearing in of the elected leaders has been completed and the next phase is the election of the national executive committee members set 06th October 2023,” Joseph said.
The party deputy spokesperson John Kikonyogo lashed at the party chairman Amb. Wasswa Borigwa for misinterpreting the party constitution which he says Birigwa has taken the wrong direction by organizing what he terms as “the so-called extraordinary meeting” within 48 hours.
“We endorse the decision of the party electoral commission to cause a meeting on 06th October 2023 to conclude the election process by electing the party national executive committee members,” Kikonyogo added.
Kikonyogo says the party leadership at national level expires on the 07th October 2023, the party chairman instead of supporting the process of the election completion decides to call a parallel illegal extra ordinary meeting, yet the resolution of 16th national council held on 28th July 2023 directed the party to support electoral commission to conduct elections from the village to national level.
The former legislator of Kasese municipality, Robert Centenary who is also aspiring for the position of FDC spokesperson urged all the newly elected members in the just concluded elections not to attend the party delegates conference which is slated for 19th September 2023, organised by Amb. Wasswa Birigwa at Busabala if all goes well.
“It’s a double standard to hear and see that members who were elected at village and district levels attend the conference which is convened by Amb. Wasswa Birigwa because it is illegal and unlawful,” Centenary said.
Centenary urged party members who are unhappy with what is going on within the party to solve the disagreements amicably instead disclosing them in the public that tarnished the image of the party.
According to John Kikonyogo, failure to need their call (Amb. Wasswa Birigwa), they direct the party president to exercise his powers within article 28(3)(b)(iii) that states; the party president recommends disciplinary action against any member who fails in his duties and absconds from party business and meeting without any reasonable excuse, and in case of such recommendation the president may appoint anyone to act in such capacity pending approval of the relevant body.
Disagreements within the FDC Party still escalates due to the fact that, the party chairman Amb. Wasswa Birigwa convenes a delegates’ conference scheduled for 19th September 2023, at Busabala yet there is also another related conference organized on 06th October 2023, to elect the party national executive members.
