The cohesion of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) leaders seems to have taken a nose dive beyond return as the reconciliation committee suffers resignations.

In a letter dated July 13, 2023, addressed to the FDC Party President Engineer Patrick Amuriat Oboi from Stanley Katembeya, the Vice Chairman of the Special Elders Committee chaired by Dr. Frank Nabwiso, which was to handle reconciliation within the party, wrote seeking to resign from the committee citing interference in the mediation process.

Katembeya accuses Amuriat and Mafabi of holding special meetings across the country with members of the national delegate’s conference discussing issues which were already being discussed by the Special Elders Committee and to him this was subjudice and undermining the work of the mediation committee.

“Clearly there is no good will to solve these internal issues and I therefore tender in my resignation from the position of Vice Chairman of the elders committee and membership of the special elders committee with immediate effect.” Katembeya stated.

The Special Elders Committee was created to resolve conflicts within the party as there emerged non reconcilable differences between two factions, one sitting at Katonga road headed by Dr. Kizza Besigye and the other faction at Najjanankumbi headed by the Party President Patrick Amuriat.

The Katonga faction is fronting Kampala Lord Mayor Elias Lukwago for Party Presidency and Ssemujju Nganda as the Secretary General on the basis that Buganda region has always supported the party and its time for the party top leadership to shift to Buganda.

Whereas the Katonga group justifies the regional power shift, Amuriat and Mafabi believe that Lukwago is more of NUP leaning and has not been in the party longer than Mafabi.

According to Professor Sabiti Makara, Besigye constantly meddles in party leadership as he always wants to have a Party President that he can control to push his agenda.

Amuriat and Mafabi are accused of failure to account for Ugx 7Bn given to the party to pay outstanding debts, misusing the IPOD money, and selling out the party during the 2021 elections, a deal Amuriat brokered with the NRM government to weaken FDC. However, Amuriat denied the claims.

Earlier this month, in a petition addressed to the party National Council Chairman, members sought to move a vote of no confidence in Amuriat and Mafabi over lack of transparency.