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FDC sets new date for delegates’ conference
FDC party president Patrick Oboi Amuriat (right) and the Secretary General, Mr Nathan Nandala Mafabi (2nd right), during a press conference at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi, Kampala, on July 19, 2023. PHOTO | MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI.
What you need to know:
- The party had initially planned to hold the National Delegates’ Conference meeting in November.
The opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has brought forward the National Delegates’ Conference, which is set to elect the party’s National Executive Committee leaders, including the party president.
According to a circular released by the party’s electoral commission chairperson, Mr Boniface Bamwenda Tuterebuka, the delegates’ conference is scheduled for October 6 at UMA showgrounds in Kampala.
“Aware that owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, elections for the party organs could not take place, and the National Council in its 14th sitting held on October 8, 2020, extended the term of office bearers for a period of three years which expires on October 8,” Mr Tuterebuka wrote.
He added: “This is to announce that the ongoing general election of the party being conducted at all levels shall culminate in a meeting of the delegates whose business will be to elect members of the National Executive Committee as provided for in the constitution.”
The party had initially planned to hold the National Delegates’ Conference meeting in November. However, the party president, Mr Patrick Amuriat, told Daily Monitor in a telephone interview that they had to bring the elections forward after they realised that the National Council’s resolution to extend the term of office bearers was made in October.
A total of 1,400 delegates, including the chairperson, vice chairpersons, all NEC members, four representatives from each special interest group, and chairpersons, the general secretary, the secretary for mobilisation, and the secretary for youth and women from each district, are slated to participate in the election.
Others who will participate in the election include Members of Parliament, 10 representative members in the diaspora and 10 eminent members, among others.
The aforementioned delegates are expected to, among others, elect the party president, four deputy presidents, the party national chairperson, the secretary general, and the deputy secretaries-general.
The party last held elections in November 2017 after Mr Amuriat defeated Gen Mugisha Muntu who has since left the party. FDC was scheduled to elect leaders in 2020. However, due to Covid-19, the National Council decided to extend the term of office bearers for three years.
Sources indicate that Mr Amuriat is expected to run again for the party presidency.
When contacted yesterday, he neither confirmed nor denied plans to run for the seat. “We shall cross the bridge when we get there,” Mr Amuriat said.
The delegates’ conference comes at a time when the party is grappling with internal disputes stemming from allegations of improper financial transactions raised by some senior party members against the party president, Mr Amuriat and the secretary general, Mr Nathan Nandala Mafabi.
However, Mr Amuriat said they do not expect everyone to attend the delegates’ conference. “But we hope that those who are angry will change their minds and turn up,” he said.
About party law
Article 23 of the FDC constitution provides for the National Delegates’ Conference, which is the supreme policy-making organ of the party.
Its major function is to elect the National Executive Committee, determine the programme and policies of the party, and receive reports from NEC, among others.
