FDC calls off delegates meet over police rules

Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has called off its regional delegates meetings to choose a presidential flagbearer after police refused to allow the Opposition party host more than 50 delegates.
 The FDC aspirants for the party flag for presidency in the 2021 General Election started meeting delegates in Kampala and Wakiso on Thursday last week and were slated to meet delegates in other sub-regions, subsequently.
However, since last Thursday, the two party candidates Mr Patrick Amuriat and Mr Wasswa Biriggwa, have not held another joint meeting as scheduled.
Addressing journalists at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi yesterday, the FDC deputy spokesperson, Mr John Kikonyogo, said they could not continue with the delegates meetings because police asked them to hold meetings of not more than 50 members.
Mr Kigonyogo said this is not possible because the aspirants have to meet more than 100 delegates in each sub-region.
“We wanted to defy the police letter and go ahead with our planned delegates meetings with more than 50 people, but this time we decided to handle it peacefully. We are going to give it time and harmonise with police on the numbers and if we fail to agree, that is when we shall defy and go ahead with our planned meetings,” he said.
Mr Kigonyogo said the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has been holding its party primaries with more than 100 people convening in one place to vote while lining behind their candidates.
He added that it is unfair that police cannot allow FDC to meet only 100 delegates.
He, however, said the candidates are conducting individual campaigns as they wait for the joint ones to resume. 
Mr Biriggwa and Mr Amuriat were scheduled to meet FDC delegates in Busoga Sub-region this week.
The party set October 6 as the date for convening the last delegates conference to elect the party flagbearer for 2021 presidential race.
At the same function, Mr Kigonyogo called for unconditional release of the party’s Kampala District Woman MP aspirant Stella Nyanzi who was arrested at the Uganda-Kenya border in Busia Town on Sunday.
Mr Kigonyogo said the party does not know why Ms Nyanzi was arrested and neither do they know where she is detained.
According to reports, Ms Nyanzi crossed the border to Kenya through an ungazetted border point.
She reportedly returned to Uganda by car at about 9pm last Saturday but she was intercepted at a fuel station by security personnel.

Police Response
When contacted about the FDC complaint, the police spokesperson, Mr Fred Enanga, said they have not received any official communication from FDC protesting the police requirement on the number of delegates they can meet.
“We want something that is formal rather than their informal way like they are doing. They should write to the Inspector General of Police about their unwillingness to comply. We shall review their concerns and write back to them .They should showcase their ability to host the 100 delegates they want in terms of the venue,” Mr Enanga said.
He also asked FDC to borrow a leaf from the Democratic Party that held its delegates conference successfully in Gulu on Sunday without any police interference.