The current political fights in the FDC have seen exchange of words, accusations and counter accusations in media space between different factions in the party. The Ssemujju Nganda and Erias Lukwago faction accuses the Amuriat-Nandala faction of receiving funding from the ruling party Chairman in a planned move to finish off the Party.

This is not new in the same party because in 2018, one of the senior members of the party, Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu was branded a mole and accused of secret dealings with President Yoweri Museveni to finish off the once strongest opposition Party.

Gen. Muntu later decided to quit the party alongside other party leaders and members of Parliament on the basis of disagreeing on the methods of work, because he believed in building structures while the other party leaders preached civil disobedience to remove President Museveni.

The unfortunate part is that the senior leaders of the party who would have mediated these wrangles end up taking sides and creating more divisions.

It is evident that Col Dr. Kizza Besigye is on the side of Lukwago and Ssemujju and this raises many questions regarding unity and the future of the party. This also shows how Besigye himself is not innocent and should be held accountable for the divisions in the party.

The party supporters are also divided along the two factions. The way it happened when Muntu was being harassed, those pro-Besigye would say the party was coming out stronger after Muntu leaving but this did not happen.

Will the FDC party become stronger after Nandala and Amuriat are evicted, which is likely to happen soon?

FDC lost most of the regions in 2021 elections to the extent that even Rukungiri District where Besigye is born, there is only one Member of Parliament on FDC ticket, and the few FDC MPs come from Lango and Eastern region where Nandala and Amuriat come from.

Lukwago and Ssemujju who are being fronted by Besigye come from a region that is controlled by National Unity Platform, so, they have nothing much to contribute to the party in terms of numbers, but will just benefit as individuals unless there is an FDC-NUP alliance which is unlikely because, the supporters of the two parties do not look eye to eye.

Which faction is more resourceful to the party then?

It should be noted that the wrangles have turned tribal since Lango and Eastern region leaders say they are sidelined in the party. This came after Besigye could not campaign for Amuriat in the 2021 elections.

It is possible that if Amuriat and Nandala quit the party, they would definitely not go alone, and it is possible that FDC is headed for extinction.

All in all, political parties and pluralism cannot function in poor economies. Issues like suspicion and mistrust, corruption tendencies, misinformation, will headline the political terrain of a poor country like Uganda or any other in Africa. What we need is a strong revolutionary party led with tight grip to economically transform the country before we think of political parties.

Political parties are simply not for poor Africa now. In any case, political parties can easily be used by neo-colonial agents to impair economic, social and political growth of targeted countries.