Amuriat, Nandala retain seats, pledge to reconcile FDC members

Mr Patrick Oboi Amuriat has been re-elected as president of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) for a second term while Mr Nathan Nandala Mafabi retained his seat as Secretary General after going through unopposed.

The two were reelected during the national delegates conference held at Patidar Samaj Sports Grounds, Lugogo in Kampala on October 6.
Other victorious candidates include, Mr Geoffrey Ekanya who was elected as treasurer general with 626 votes against his rival Ms Judith Akello who obtained 355 votes, Mr Jack Sabiiti is the new national chairman for the party after going through unopposed.

Yusuf Nsibambi was voted as deputy president Buganda region, replacing Mr Elias Lukwago who is now the interim president Katonga faction, Mr Robert Centenary was voted vice chairman western region while Mr Jamal Wante as vice chairperson Eastern region, replacing Ms Proscovia Salaam Musumba, among others.

Out of 79 nominated candidates, 38 of them went through unopposed.
The conference that was attended by 1,143 delegates chaired by the party vice chairman Central region, Mr Mukalazi Kibuka also elected Mawokota South, Mr Yusuf Nsibambi as the party chief whip, replacing Kira municipality MP, Mr Ibrahim Ssemujju who belongs to Katonga FDC faction.

In his address to the delegates, Mr Amuriat said he will urgently try to reconcile members and foster unity in the party through well-structured dialogue, train, coach and mentor youth and women through the party leadership academy. Additionally, the former presidential contender said he will massively recruit members across the country and introduce an online registration, member database and electronic card distribution system.

He said he will continue engaging the members at Katonga because they belong to one party and “there is no reason to have two power centers.”
"To our friends at Katonga, we are members of the same family and there should be no Katonga FDC or FDC Najjanankumbi. FDC is one and has an office in Najjanankumbi. I want to tell you that we are not going to tolerate any form of misrepresentation, any kind of forgery that some of our colleagues decided to engage in," he said.

He added; "Accordingly, I’m going to pursue the reconciliation of our friends, but this doesn't mean that we are weak. We may look small, we may not look nice in the eyes of some people, but nobody should despise us on an account of our body size or height or how we look. We are potential to leaders."

According to Mr Amuriat, some members who include; Mr Lukwago, Mr Ssemujju, Mr Mubarak Munyagwa (former Kawempe South Division MP), Salaam Musumba and Harold Kaija, among others will face disciplinary action.

"There is no one who is bigger than the constitution of FDC. If you feel you are bigger than the constitution of FDC, I want to say to you that you have no place in FDC. We are better moving as a few credile people than moving with a cohort of human beings who are not competent,"Mr Amuriat said.

Mr Nandala said there are no wrangles in the party but rather self-seeking members who are trying to cause divisions in the party.
“There are no wrangles in FDC. Those are few self-seeking members. They are new comers; Lukwago and Ssemujju,” Mr Nandala said.
According to him, the FDC which had once been the biggest opposition party, is and will remain strong.

He said they plan to petition court to block the Katonga faction from using the name FDC because they cannot have two power centers.
On the issue of party whip, he said he has already written to the Speaker of Parliament informing her about the new changes.

"There are colleagues who went and misled the Speaker that it is national delegates’ conference to choose a whip. When we were choosing Ssemujju, we used the working committee which is NEC. For us, this has been an opportunity that if they wanted the delegates’ conference which is the supreme body it is here now; It's the one which has elected Yusuf Nsibambi as a whip. As I speak now I have already signed the letter. I want to see what is next,"Mr Nandala said.

The party will soon identify potential candidates for the 2026 general election, according to Mr Nandala.
The delegates’ conference was held amidst internal wrangles following allegations that Mr Nandala and Amuriat brought "dirty money" from State House during the last general election. The two have, however, vehemently denied the allegations.