North endorses Amuriat for re-election as FDC president

Leaders of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) from across northern Uganda have endorsed Mr Patrick Amuriat Oboi for re-election as party president ahead of their National Delegates Conference scheduled for Thursday.
 
While endorsing Mr Amuriat, the leaders claims that his opponent for the position, Mr Moses Byamugisha, lacks the required capacity and vision to take the party to the “promised land”.
 
This was during a meeting dubbed ‘Trans-Karuma Convention 2023’ held at Resto Court Hotel in Kamdini Town Council, Oyam District, last Friday.
 
The meeting attended by FDC leaders from Acholi, West Nile and Lango sub-regions was chaired by Mr Kaps Hassan Fungaroo, the former Obongi Member of Parliament.
 
The resolution was read by Lira District FDC chairperson Joel Okao Tema in the presence of Mr Amuriat, who was in the area to canvass for support ahead of the delegates conference.  

“As the leaders of FDC from across northern Uganda, we do resolve as follows; … we firmly resolved to support all candidates presented by northern Uganda for positions at the national level of the party of the FDC,” the resolution read in part.
 
“That we support your bid for re-election and will give you our votes. That funding to the party candidates and activities be streamlined and be made fair across the country considering the competence of candidates and the level of threats or competition they face in their areas where they are running for election,” it added.
 
The leaders also resolved that all efforts be made to ensure reconciliation in the party following an internal rift that has led to the creation of two factions; one, which sits at Katonga led by party chairperson Wasswa Birigwa  and the one at Najjanankumbi led by Amuriat and party secretary general Nandala Mafabi.
 
The meeting also resolved that disciplinary action be taken against members who are bent on subverting the legitimate activities of the party.
 
“We resolved that we shall work with all delegates and leaders across the country to elect competent leaders from all parts of Uganda on October 6 to ensure that FDC remains the truly national party that it has always been,” Mr Okao added.   
 
Mr Amuriat told the delegates that “as you go to vote, look at me and also make an assessment of me, assess my opponent and see whether he is consistent.”
 
“So, the young man competing with me did not participate in the FDC grassroots elections because he listened to Katonga, Nsambya and Fairway,” he said.
  
“At least I have talked about my political experience and I believe that my experience is much more than the experience of my friend –Byamugisha,” he added. 

Mr Fungaroo, the incoming deputy president-elect of the Najjanankumbi faction, who is unopposed, told journalists that the north has presented candidates for top national positions.
 
He said the “positions are not many but few”, appealing to members from other regions that all those candidates presented by the north be considered,” he said. “We have one person here in the name of James Otto Apili, the Dokolo District chairman, as a candidate for the position for the deputy secretary general in charge of administration,” Mr Fungaroo said.
 
“Then we have also presented Ms Franca Judith Akello, the former Woman MP for Agago District, and now she is going for the position of treasurer general – one of the top positions of the FDC – actually the person who oversees issues of money,” he added.   

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