As internal wrangles engulf Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party, Kira Municipality Member of Parliament who doubles as FDC Spokesperson is to face the party disciplinary committee over indiscipline.
While addressing the press on Monday, July 17, 2023, at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi, FDC’s Robert Centenary revealed that Ssemujju’s actions require disciplinary actions.
“How do you reduce an entire process of an institution, which is the largest political party to mere interests of an individual? I think members of FDC should learn to respect each other and our leaders,” he said.
Adding, “If you have dissenting views, the system of FDC is very clear because we have a disciplinary organ that can listen and address your grievances. I think the media outbursts are not going to help us as a party to attain growth.”
He stressed, “So honorable Ssemujju, senior as you are, please I request that you should stop being diversionary and play your role speaking for the party.”
All this dust has come out after MP Ssemujju went on to hold a banned consultative meeting at Nsambya sharing hall.
The consultative meeting was also attended by other key party leaders including Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago-the FDC Vice President for Buganda, Deputy Secretary General Harold Kaija, Doreen Nyanjura, the Deputy Lord Mayor, MPs Francis Mwijukye and some FDC District chairpersons, among others.
The convener, MP Ssemujju led faction accused party Secretary General, Nathan Nandala Mafabi of trying to use elections to hold grip on the party, and later ‘sell’ it to NRM.
“Nandala wants these elections to happen so that he can quickly take over the FDC and then load it on a pickup and take it to State House. We are going to reveal all their dealings with the NRM at this meeting, we shall tell all leaders about their behavior” Ssemujju said.
He said that the planned FDC elections will have Patrick Amuriat installed as party President and Nandala Mafabi as Secretary General. Flagbearer elections will then be ‘won’ by Nandala who will have a friendly match with Museveni in 2026. Mafabi will thereafter hand FDC to Museveni.
Ssemujju also accused Nandala Mafabi of pocketing over Shs 7 billion from President Yoweri Museveni.
He however, vowed to carry on with country wide Consultative Meetings.
FDC Acting-Chief Electoral Commissioner, Boniface Toterebuka Bamwenda, while speaking on the ongoing village and parish party structure elections, insisted that the FDC National Executive Committee (NEC) adopted a structure building Roadmap 2023, and resolved to start implementing it.
He noted that Elections of village and Parish structures were meant to kick off on June 19, 2023, however, on June 16, 2023, NEC requested the party EC to adjust the road-map for four weeks starting on July 17, 2023.
“The extension was intended to allow different leaders to try to harmonize amongst themselves as elections could kick off after the four weeks,” Bamwenda said.
“As an independent FDC Electoral Commission using its constitutionally given mandate under Article 29, revised the road-map to have Village and Parish elections start on Monday, 17 July 2023. Unfortunately, before the day came to pass, many letters went on Social Media confusing FDC members, calling for suspension while the other called members to come for elections on 17 July 2023,” he added.
Bamwenda said that, as the FDC party EC, they called for an emergency EC meeting, and adjusted the road-map which was released to members on Saturday, July 15, 2023.
The meeting at Nsambya Sharing Hall and that at Najjanankumbi clearly shows that there are two factions within FDC Party. One for Rtd Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye Kifefe and that of MP Nathan Nandala Mafabi with Engineer Patrick Amuriat Oboi.
