By Monica Kobusiinge
Kampala: The opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) political party’s leadership has revealed that they will not form an alliance with the National Unity Platform (NUP) due to legal issues they are currently battling with the former NURP president Nkonge Kibalama in court over party’s transitional leadership.
While meeting delegates and party flag bearers from the districts of the Rwenzori sub-region at Rwenzori International Hotel in Kasese on Tuesday, party president, Patrick Oboi Amuriat, noted that the issue of alliances is supposed to be for the common good of regime change but not the leadership of democracy seeking forces, adding that if at all there is need for an alliance, it will be done after the elections.
“We would not make an alliance with people power, the pressure group that was not legally recognized, with no structures, even when it changed under NUP, it is still in courts of law, whose fate is not known, the reason we in FDC can’t be part of them,” Mr Amuriat said.
“We cannot form a coalition at this time if it is to be done, it must be after the elections and it must be there for regime change but not power-sharing,” he added.Mr Amuriat was flanked by party chairman Mr Wasswa Birigwa who were both campaigning for party presidential flag bearer for the forthcoming 2021 general elections.
At the same function, Amuriat also revealed the need for financial support saying there is need to raise money for campaigns “The cost of this election is going to be enormous, going outside the roof and a big district like Kasese needs between 20,000 to 30,000 posters which is worth Shs 3 million for one person which is quite high given the number of districts that we have and also other candidates on the lower levels,” Amuriat cried out.
However, Mr Saul Mate, the FDC party chairperson for Kasese District warned those who lost in the party primaries and opted to stand as independents referring to them as the party’s worst enemies, “I actually discourage the idea of coming as independents once you lose in primaries, it weakens the party and a reconciliation committee has been out in place to sort out grievances that could have resulted from primaries.”
In the same vein, Mr Aloysius Baguma Kighema, the Busongora South FDC flag bearer condemned party leaders who fail to keep their promises, “I wonder why party members have continued to contest as independents even when they vowed to rally behind their opponents.”
