By Western Focus Team
After spending some years in a ‘low mode’, leaders and supporters of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) are again filled with joy and excitement upon seeing their former FDC party leader/President and former Presidential candidate Dr. Kiiza Besigye back on the stage.
As a result the party leaders and supporters in Kigezi and Ankole sub regions want Besigye to go back to the ‘drawing board’ and lead the struggle of removing President Yoweri Museveni from power.
Besigye together with some FDC top leaders have embarked on a nationwide consultative meetings seeking for views from the party leaders and supporters on the way forward.
This follows the conflicts and divisions within the FDC party top leadership which has culminated into two factions that is; Najjanakumbi and Katonga camps. The Katonga faction accuses the party leadership led by the party President Patrick Amuriat and the party secretary general Nandala Mafabi at Najjanakumbi for mismanaging the party. The two factions have since then been involved in battles.
Besigye and other party leaders have instead decided to traverse the country to consult the party’s leadership structures, stakeholders and the supporters. So far Besigye and his team have covered Greater Mbarara, Greater Bushenyi, Greater Kabale and his home district, Rukungiri. In all these areas, Besigye seems to have reignited the opposition’s spirit as evidenced by the enthusiastic processions and rallies.
Caption: Dr.Kiiza Besigye waving to his supporters at Kizinda play grounds in Bushenyi district.
Leaders speak out
Some want Besigye to remain in the FDC party and lead the re-organization while others want Besigye and the aggrieved party leaders to form a new political party.
“We should actually sue you (Besigye) because when you left the stage our momentum which we had built for over sometime as opposition declined,” said the Rubirizi district FDC chairman Vicent Ndyanabo while speaking on Saturday at Kizinda play grounds in Bushenyi district where Besigye and his team held a consultative meeting/rally. “We want you to lead the struggle again,” Ndyanabo appealed.
Adonia Tumusiime Bagorogoza the Mitooma district FDC chairman said, “We want you to be our sole candidate. Let us start a new party because you are the one with the capacity to lead the party.”
Guma Gumisiriza the Bushenyi district chairman also said, “let’s start a new party but we stop these ‘games’.”
“We have a leader who has passed the test of integrity and that is Besigye,” said Tumwiine Deogratious the Buhweju district chairman.
The Rwampara district FDC chairman Ayesigomwe Rubarema said his district party leadership has also resolved to support Besigye.
“Let us begin a new party and first lead it to streamline a new direction,” said Mugisha the Sheema district FDC chairman.
Stanley Katembeya the Western region FDC chairperson said, “As opposition, you (Besigye) are the only man to lead us from this situation.”
Igrid Turinawe the former leader of FDC’s women’s league apologized to the districts party leaders and supporters. “I want to apologize because the last time I was here we were introducing to you Amuriat and you remember how we suffered with teargas. I want you to forgive me because I didn’t know the person I was supporting. He later turned out to be engaata,” Turinawe apologized as supporters shouted back, “we have forgiven you.” Turinawe regretted to why they handed over FDC party to Amuriat.
The Buhweju County MP Francis Mwijukye said, “This is a resurrection and a re-birth of FDC. We are going to re-baptize it.”
Salaamu Musumba said, “In Busoga, we want him (Besigye) back. We have come to consult you so that we go back and draw up the plan.”
In response, Besigye who was accompanied by Wasswa Birigwa said he is ready to lead a people’s power struggle who are not armed to dislodge those who are armed. “We cannot allow this level of undermining (ejoogo) us to continue. To find the whole country being led by one family is unacceptable,” Besigye said as he listed down Museveni’s family members who include the new Chief of Defense Forces Commander Gen. Muhoozi Keinerugaba, Gen. Salim Saleh the Presidential advisor who is also the head of Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), the Minister for education and sports Mrs. Janet Kataaha Museveni and Odrek Rwabwogo who is the Presidential advisor among others.
“In April this year I am making 68years and my appeal to you is that in the next two years which I am remaining with to make 70years, join and support me so that in these two years we can change the situation.” He implored the youth not to sit down and relax when the conditions of living in a rich country-Uganda are deteriorating.
He told Ugandans how government is generating a lot of revenues from them inform of taxes but said they are not benefiting from the taxes.
“Museveni studied from Ntare school but assume that he was to be born like now; he wouldn’t step in Ntare because his father could not afford it. He would be in obugando,” Besigye said.
He discredited government’s poverty eradication programs like the ongoing Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, Bonabagagaware, Entandikwa among others stressing that, “its intentional that you all become poor so that when give you sh1000= during elections/campaigns you vote them.” Ends.
The Amuriat FDC became a mockery party. People deserve better and the youth must come out strongly to support a new initiative. This new party should go and find coalition with ANT.