The Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party has unveiled the party leadership academy aimed at identifying leaders, training and mentoring them.
The party president, Mr. Patrick Oboi Amuriat, yesterday revealed that the academy is timely because it is going to address the needs of disempowered citizens.
He noted that the academy is here to train leaders and uplift their ambitions step by step to enable them to take up leadership, be ambassadors, solve conflicts and address internal succession issues.
“Mr Museveni, in his manipulative manner, has kept the population in the dark. He has deliberately killed civic education that should inform decisions by ordinary citizens,” he said.
While launching the leadership academy and passing out the first cohort of 60 trainees from various regions across the country at the FDC party headquarters in Kampala yesterday, Mr. Amuriat said the party targets to train a population of more than 1,000 by the end of this year.
“When time comes for us to leave, we have to leave a healthy party in the hands of focused people, not people who are walking with one leg facing the other side and another facing this side,” he said.
Mr Amuriat urged the trainees to use the knowledge and skills they acquired during the three-day training.
The FDC youth league chairperson, Mr. Warid Mulindwa, said the academy will also address Uganda’s leadership crisis.
“As you are aware, politics changes with time. FDC as a party, through the National Executive Committee and National Council, thought it wise to move with the moving tides. We are looking at making FDC attractive and also having an environment where people can stay and grow politically,” Mr Mulindwa said.
He noted that the academy mainly targets young people, women and persons with disabilities (PWDs).
“The academy provides an avenue for answering leadership gaps and challenges so as to increase the participation of our leaders not only in the Youth League but also within the Women League and the PWDs across levels,” he said.
Mr Mulindwa added that the academy is anchored on the five-year strategic plan, which was launched last year.
“The lack of mentorship, coaching and inspiration is accountable to the poor leadership that we are grappling with at local government, in Parliament, party structures, and at the national level,” Mr Mulindwa said.
The East African regional manager for Kristian International Democratic Centre in Sweden, Mr Emmy Otim, said FDC has set a new precedent in political leadership development in this country and the entire African region. He urged the first cohort of trainees to be ready to lead and impact the lives of other people.
“Define what your ultimate contribution to the universe will be, don’t waste your youthfulness. Identify your strength and accept to be guided by those who came before you,” Mr Otim said, adding, “If you want power, somebody must lose and those who have power don’t want to lose it. Even when they decide to leave power, they want to influence those who take it from them. This is a battle for power and the battle for power is not for the timid or the frightened but those who are determined.”
Ms Hellen Akol Achan, one of the trainees from West Nile Sub-region, who spoke on behalf of other trainees, appreciated the party leadership for the great achievement, saying they have learnt a lot from the academy and will never remain the same.
