Alaso asks FDC to withdraw candidate

The Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) flag bearer in the Serere County by-election, Ms Alice Alaso, has asked the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party to withdraw its candidate in the race and support her bid.

Ms Alaso made the remarks during a meeting with some of the voters and officials from the Democratic Party (DP), National Unity Platform (NUP) and FDC in Soroti Town yesterday.

The ANT secretary general said the nine coming days should be about uniting the people of Serere.

“We are grateful to the independent-minded NRM. This candidature is for the Serere people. I will be your distinctive and recognisable voice and unite the badly divided community,” she said. 

Ms Alaso said the people of Serere have been divided by the fights the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party. 

The former Soroti District Woman MP said FDC has more supporters in the villages in Serere than in Najjanankumbi, Kampala where the party offices are situated.

She said FDC still has time to reconsider their position.

She added that she is a candidate of the youth since her ideas resonate with them in terms of education, agriculture, and enterprise.

Ms Alaso said she is indebted to NUP, DP and other like-minded members from the NRM who are supporting her.

The Electoral Commission is today expected to start receiving nominations for the Soroti County by-election. The seat fell vacant last year following the death of the incumbent, Patrick Okabe and his wife, in a road accident on the Mbale-Iganga road.

Mr Walter Lubega Mukaku, a member of DP, said Ms Alaso is a well-nurtured and seasoned politician, who the party has chosen to support as the joint opposition candidate.

“Although it is a by-election, it speaks volumes of what we ought to do as Opposition. We shall stand with the freedom fighters,” Mr Mukaku said, adding that Ms Alaso has raised the game in the by-election.

Mr Jerry Okello, the Kyere Town Council speaker, said when he heard that Ms Alaso had expressed interest to contest for the seat, he opted out because she is best suited for Serere County.

 A week ago, FDC unveiled Emmanuel Eratu as the party’s flag bearer in the by-election.

Mr Eratu was a musician but has since joined philanthropy. In the 2021 General Election, he contested for the same seat as an independent and got more than 8,000 votes.

No alliance - FDC

While unveiling Mr Eratu, the FDC president, Mr Patrick Amuriat, revealed that the party will not back Ms Alaso because ANT members left FDC under irreconcilable differences.

“At the time of the departure of [those] individuals from FDC, in their own words, [there were] irreconcilable differences and that needs to be taken into account. We still have [to be] accountable to our differences and, therefore, I look forward to a time when once again we can come back to work as a common front,” Mr Amuriat said.

He also said the party no longer believes in alliances.

“Anybody who dreams that alliances would subdue Museveni in any election at any level, surely needs to do their homework again. Unless we have reforms in this country in accordance with the political dispensation, then we can talk about alliances being meaningful,” Mr Amuriat said.

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