Chimpreports.com-Uganda News: EXCLUSIVE: FDC On Fire

EXCLUSIVE: FDC On Fire
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Martin Ochieng on 09/05/2012 03:29:00

Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party will on Wednesday hold a
bi-monthly National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting amid reports of internal
power struggles.

Impeccable sources say the meeting opens at 11am at the party headquarters in
Najjanankumbi, Kampala.
Party members will discuss a way forward following reports that top shots are
soon joining the ruling NRM.
They include MPs Nabillah Naggayi, Beatrice Anywar, Geoffrey Ekanya and Abdu
Katuntu. Sources have told Chimp Corps that the four legislators reportedly
switched to NRM a few months back after being courted by President Yoweri
Museveni.
“Our party is on fire. The NRM is no longer a threat to FDC. Only God knows
whether we shall survive these internal wrangles,” said a party leader who
preferred anonymity.
The reports come at a time when FDC’s Secretary for International Affairs Anne
Mugisha officially announced an end of her cyber campaign against Museveni.
The news was received with discomfort.
Sources further revealed that FDC is on the verge of breaking up over the party
Presidential race.
Col. Kizza Besigye recently revealed he was no longer interested in the
party’s presidency.
Leader of opposition in Parliament Nandala Mafabi and mobilisation chief Gen.
Mugisha Muntu have already kicked off clandestine campaigns for the highly
coveted seat.
The struggle for this job has left the party split.
Party members from the Northern and Eastern Uganda are behind Mafabi, saying
it’s time for their region to rule FDC after nearly a decade of western
leadership.
However, pro-Muntu westerners insist Mafabi lacks a national appeal.
The party is also expected to discuss the rivalry between Salaam Musumba and
Anita Among.
The two members are fighting over the East Africa Legislative Assembly MP slots.
For example Among yesterday told a crisis meeting at FDC that Musumba is behind
the leakage of her sex scandals to the media.
Musumba vehemently denied the allegations.
Another burning issue is the biting poverty that has brought the party business
to a near standstill.
We can authoritatively reveal that Musumba a few months ago donated Shs50m to
the party coffers to save FDC from bankruptcy. However, this cash was quickly
consumed, leaving party coffers dry.
This is also one of the reasons why walk-to-work protests were halted.
The situation is so serious that FDC can no longer afford hiring a public
address system and fuel for its members to mobilize supporters for protests
against government.
Broke youth leaders regularly camp at FDC legislators’ offices seeking cash
handouts.
“MPs are about to run to exile. Instead of looking for jobs to sustain
themselves, these youth activists have laid siege at Parliament. The MPs are
disgusted. Some do not even have money for food and rent,” said a concerned
party official.
The unnerving developments are big test to FDC’s future as Uganda’s second
most powerful political party.
Efforts to reach FDC’s spokesperson Wafula Oguttu have been fruitless as his
known mobile phone was switched off.
Nevertheless, Besigye has in the past been credited for steering FDC through
stormy times.
In a related development, a delegation of FDC members will join their colleague
Bwanika Bbale at the burial of his father.