During the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party’s 15th National Council meeting that was held on November 24, 2022, it was resolved that an elders’ committee be constituted to resolve the disputes between the two senior party leaders.
The dispute in question was about what was named the “Dirty Money” where Dr. Kizza Besigye accused the Party’s Secretary General Nathan Nandala Mafabi of receiving money from President Museveni.
On May 12, 2023, the Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting approved a committee of seven elders to handle the matter.
The committee Chaired by Dr. Frank Nabwiso was tasked to invite the aggrieved parties to make presentations and later come up with a detailed report with findings and recommendations, all aimed at reconciling the two party leaders.
During the presentations by the aggrieved parties before the committee, Besigye said that his disagreement with Mafabi started when Mafabi asked Besigye to keep for him Ugx 500Million but only Ugx 300Million was delivered.
Besigye added that, he was later told by his source at State House how some FDC party leaders had picked some money from State House.
He also blamed Engineer Patrick Amuriat, the Party President for disbanding the campaign bureau, after denying having campaigned for Amuriat in the 2021 elections.
Mafabi however, presented the evidence and told the committee how NEC authorized him to borrow the money for the party activities since they were in a financial crisis and the party needed Ugx 2.7Billion for the same activities.
In their Presentations, Amuriat, Mafabi, MP Geoffrey Ekanya and others revealed to the committee how Besigye deliberately refused to mobilize money for the party activities even after asking for the budget was given to him, but he remained silent.
The same report indicates how Besigye would mobilize funds for the party when he was still the party President but would not disclose the sources.
The report clearly shows how the party constitution gives powers to the Secretary General to mobilize funds and not to disclose the sources. However, Besigye would later defy the party constitution and demand for the sources.
After the report was submitted on July 28, 2023, the Katonga group (under Besigye) dismissed it on allegations that the party President had tampered with it and compromised the elders.
Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda went ahead to tell journalists how he can no longer subordinate the two Najjanankumbi leaders.
However, Besigye failed to present evidence and the investigation report exonerated the Najjanankumbi group. The Njjanankumbi group, however, tabled the evidence showing the bank statements where the money was withdrawn contrary to State House as alleged.
They also presented evidence to show how cars were purchased, some on loan and later transferred to the party names.
The double standards, selfish interests and hypocrisy by Dr. Kizza Besigye and his Katonga group is not new to those who have been following the FDC party activities.
The reasons given by Besigye for not supporting and campaigning for Amuriat are baseless and vague though this is not new.
The Katonga group has always branded ‘moles’ to whoever tries to outshine the Master Dr. Kizza Besigye. This has seen the likes of Sebugwawo, Mugisha Muntu, Winnie Kizza, and Abdu Katuntu, among others leave the party.
No evidence has ever been presented to prove that they are moles, and it won’t be farfetched for political analysts to conclude that such behavior that has always gone unchecked will definitely send FDC to political Oblivion.
The committee’s report that was presented recommended that reconciliation be made but the Katonga group already shows they are not ready for reconciliation, what next for the FDC party?
