East African Gazette
Kampala
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Party President, Patrick Oboi Maurita is not happy with FDC legislators after shunning away the party’s National Council meeting. Out of 32 current members of parliament only three attended
In a photo cumulating round on social media, a visibly disappointed and frustrated Amuriat is seen weeping, he failed to control his tears as out of the 32 FDC legislators, only three attended
By Friday afternoon, the Secretariat had not received any communication from the other legislators who stayed away.
The only legislators who made National Council Session that was convened by the Party President Amuriat included Godfrey Ekanya Treasurer General, Nandala Mafabi, the secretary general and Yusuf Nsibambi Buganda Region vice President and FDC chief Whip in Parliament, the top party FDC leaders.
The vibrant group of legislators including Ibrahim Ssemuju Nganda, member of Parliament representing Kira municipality, Anna Ebaju Adeke Woman MP for Soroti, Aga David Isabirye MP Jinja City, Timothy Batuwa Member of Parliament for Jinja Municipality West, Francis Mwijukye MP Buhweju County, Alobo Joan Soroti City woman member of Parliament, Namanya Naboth MP for Rubabo County.
Others Busingye Joab Women representative Masindi Municipality, Betty Aol Achan, the former leaders of opposition and Gulu Woman legislator and many others all did not turn up for Amuriat’s National Council Session and this raised a red flag whether majority of those are now affiliated to Besigye’s Katonga faction
How the FDC conflicts started
The secret linked to public where FDC members accusing top leaders including treasure General Sam Njuba, his deputy Geoffrey Ekanya together with Secretary General Nathan Nandala Mafabi and Patrick Oboi Amuriat, the Party President of receiving received huge sums of cash from President Museveni to run their 2021presidential campaign and this created difference in the Party between FDC Katonga faction lead by Dr Kiiza Besigye and Najanankubi Amuriat
At the peak of the accusations, top party leaders were pointing fingers at each other, Nandala Mafabi and POA contend that Kiiza Besigye’s wants to take the party to Bobi Wine’s NUP While Kiiza Besigye side continue accusing Nandala POA factions of hatching plans to take FDC to Museveni just like Norbert Mao and Jimmy Akena did to DP and UPC respectively
In July 20, 2023, the chairman of FDC Wasswa Birigwa, was barred to hold any meeting at Party head Quarter and in comedy way, he was sneaked over the party headquarters fence,
This triggered Katonga FDC to call the Extra Ordinary Delegates Conference which ended up in running battles with Police, but they suspended the party President Eng Patrick Oboi Amuriat and appointed the City Lord Mayor and party Vice President in charge of Buganda Erias Lukwago as the Interim President.
The conference also suspended the party Secretary General Nathan Nandala Mafabi and the Treasurer Geoffrey Ekanya. During the meeting, Harold Kaija was elected as the Secretary-General and Francis Mwijukye as the Treasurer.
However, this did not limit the Najjanankumbi from organizing the party Election, Patrick Oboi Amuriat was nominated to contest for the positions of party president while Nandala Mafabi as the secretary general.
Najjanakumbi also organised a delegate conference summoned by party electoral chairperson Boniface Toterebuka Bamwenda, the highly guarded delegate conference re-elected Patrick Oboi Amuriat as the President and Nandala Mafabi secretary General went through unopposed.
Ahead of the 2026 general election
FDC remain in disasters with both sides not ready to negotiate with other to get back to the old vibrant FDC
Sources indicate that Katonga faction may end up forming their own party or coalition with Bobi wine’ s National Unity Platform ahead of 2026
According to sources, many members of Parliament especially the first and time legislators fear to rub shoulders with Najjanakumbi for fear risking their re-election since POA and Nandala are largely seen as hypocrite and quiat to the struggle but decided to follow their hearts
“Najjanakumbi faction instead of using, the language that units’ leaders are busy abusing other faction and you expect us to associate with them,” said our source
Background of how FDC started
In 2004, three groups namely, the Reform Agenda, Parliamentary Advocacy Forum (PAFO) and National Democratic Forum (NDF) came together and formed the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).
The Reform Agenda was led by Rtd Col Dr Kiiza Besigye but he did not lead it in the first place because he was in exile in South Africa and as a result, the late Sam Njuba took charge until Besigye returned.
The PAFO was led by Augustine Ruzindana while NDF was led by Kyapa Karuhanga.
In an interview with local TV recently, the current FDC vice Chairperson for Eastern Uganda Salam Musumba recalls how the three that formed FDC co-existed.
Musumba said “Our first executive meeting was held in South Africa because our leader Dr Kiiza Besigye was in South Africa in exile. We held our first National Executive Committee meeting in South Africa.”
Dr Besigye to return home because the struggle needed a champion and we didn’t have another champion other than Dr Kiiza Besigye, Musumba said
Besigye returned to Uganda on 27 October 2005 and was registered as the party’s Presidential candidate for FDC 2006.
The 2006 general election was looming and without any doubt, Kiiza Besigye had to be the FDC candidate to contest against President Museveni.
Besigye started touring the country until he was arrested at Busega near Kampala and jailed at Central Police Station (CPS).
Musumba recalls Kira municipality legislator Ibrahim Semujju Nganda, then journalist, was the first person to tell her that there had been an incident at Busega and Dr Kiiza Besigye had been arrested.
“As FDC, we participated in the first general election in 2006. At that time, our candidate Dr Kiiza Besigye was in prison and charged with treason and rape.”
“We didn’t have a candidate to nominate, so we nominated a picture. That is how solid we are. We nominated him by defiance and it happened. We have to celebrate every day we have lived. We have had many years of torture and trauma. We have to celebrate our resilience,” she says.
“I want us to celebrate ourselves as warriors but there is a stronger warrior than all of us and that is Col Dr Kiiza Besigye. He is an indomitable lion.” She spoke
“He should have given up a long time. He has not left us and is not about to leave us. Today I want to celebrate this warrior.”
“He has survived his colleagues; he was within the bush. These colleagues wanted him dead but he survived them. He has survived brutal elections. He survived so many attempts on his life. Those who abuse him I feel like they are struggling with them,” Musumba added
National Council Meeting
The National Council Session is crucial meeting aimed at ironing out and forge a way forward to party ahead of 2026 General Election ,Although Nandala Mafabi, the FDC Secretary General has already declared interest to hold the FDC ticket
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