Busoga endorses FDC Katonga's plan to form new party

The Busoga Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) leaders have endorsed a proposal by their Katonga-based leaders to form a new party.

FDC party is currently divided into two factions one based at Katonga Road in Kampala and the other stationed at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi.

The Katonga faction is being spearheaded by the former President of FDC, Dr Kizza Besigye and Lord Mayor, Mr Erias Lukwago.

The Najjanankumbi group is being stirred by Mr Patrick Amuriat Obboi, the party President and the FDC Secretary General, Mr Nathan Nandala Mafabi.

The Katonga faction accused the Najjanankumbi group of hobnobbing with the ruling NRM government.

Dr Besigye while addressing FDC delegates royal to Katonga group during a consultative meeting at Mpumudde Estate Primary School in Jinja Southern City Division over the weekend said he was opposed to reconciliation with the Najjanankumbi team and teaming up with another opposition political party to unseat NRM leadership.

“Those who want to reconcile with those in Najjanankumbi should go if they want, for us, we shall stay on our mission because we don’t have that time. It is what I think. I can’t join those who are saying they are tired and things have failed and decided to join those we fight. I will not give up until I die,’’ he said.

The FDC chairperson in Jinja City, Mr Abby Mwase, said they (Busoga FDC leaders) unanimously agreed to follow Dr Besigye’s idea of refusing to work with Najjanankumbi and go to other opposition parties but instead form a new party.

The delegates represented by chairpersons from the twelve districts making up the Busoga region said a new party should be formed and headed by Dr Besigye himself.

The Chairperson of FDC in Mayuge District, Mr Emmanuel Okori, said: “Provided that Dr Besigye is the one in the seat, they will go by whichever position that he takes because Najjanankumbi faction has lost moral authority and public trust.”

The Member of Parliament for Jinja City South West, Dr Timothy Batuwa who hosted the meeting in his constituency at Mpumudde Primary School playground said more consultations are to be made in other regions before coming up with the final decision.

“We are making consultations with the whole country on whether we join the Najjanankumbi faction to form one FDC, join any existing political party with the same ideology or form a new political party. We shall peruse through all reports after the consultations are done so that we can have the final national decision,” he said.

The FDC Vice President for the Eastern region, Ms Salaam Musumba said they have to form a new party because they can’t be stuck on an impasse.

“Our party has ceased to be a platform for change, we must find out what next, we must respond to political issues from a political perspective. We can’t be stuck in an impasse because Ugandans are waiting for a solution and we must be part of that solution. We can’t waste time with a crashed vehicle, let us go buy a new vehicle,’’ she said.