The ongoing internal fights in the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party have been attributed to the National Resistance Movement’s (NRM) meddling in the affairs of the FDC party. Dr. Kizza Besigye and his Katonga group have accused the party Secretary General Nathan Nandala Mafabi and the party President Patrick Oboi Amuriat of conniving with the NRM Chairman, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni with the aim of killing FDC party.
While holding a press conference at Najjananankumbi on August 9, 2023, to respond to Besigye’s allegations, Dr. Frank Nabwiso, the Chairman of the FDC Elders’ Committee that was selected to inquire into the allegations said that, what is happening in FDC is not an isolated case in the opposition political landscape of Uganda.
Nabwiso noted that, Uganda People’s Congress has been marred with internal bickering for many years which resulted into two factions, one headed by Jimmy Akena and the other by Peter Walubiri. In the Democratic Party, there are also two factions, one headed by Norbert Mao while the other, by Dr. Lulume Bayiga.
“What’s happening today in FDC is also happening in other political parties. NRM has two Presidential candidates, the father and the son,” he said.
The political parties are always created with good agenda but later get marred with selfish interests along the way. The disagreements in these opposition parties usually arise from financial handling and mode of work, not necessarily external interference by the NRM.
The NRM has its own internal issues to sort out than concentrate on fueling political fights in the opposition parties. Ego and selfish interests in these opposition political parties are manifested by the failure of different factions to reconcile the issues for the unity and growth of the party. An example is the recent FDC Elders’ report that recommended reconciliation but it was instead dismissed and trashed by Besigye, leaving the party in limbo.
The founders of these opposition parties sometimes try to run them as their personal organizations and do not want any other party member to outshine them. The members who try to come out are however, maligned, accused of being moles and finally coerced to leave the parties, with some forming new political parties, while others joining the NRM, and others creating factions.
The FDC leaders should blame themselves for failing to correct their wrongs through dialogue and reconciliation instead of accusing the NRM because, instead of opting for reconciliation, they resort to media outbursts and exchanges which expose more of their weaknesses leaving their supporters hopeless. Most times there is no evidence presented to back up their accusations and counter accusations. So, it is not NRM that is supposed to mediate the reconciliation processes of these political parties.
The FDC and other opposition political players should do soul searching than opt for political incorrectness if they are to thrive. Blaming the NRM without presenting evidence will leave many of their internal problems unresolved and even create more.
