FDC delegate's conference 'suspends' president Amuriat, SG Nandala

Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party president Eng Patrick Oboi Amuriat has been 'suspended' by the extraordinary delegates conference sitting in Kampala and replaced with city lord mayor Erias Lukwago. 

The conference also suspended FDC secretary general Nathan Nandala Mafabi and teasurer Geoffrey Ekanya. FDC spokesperson Ibrahim Semujju Nganda communicated the resolution of the delegate's conference from the 'People's Government' offices at Katonga in Kampala. 

He says Lukwago now takes over as the party president, Harold Kaija as the secretary general and Francis Mwijukye as the treasurer. These have been deputies to the suspended officials. The interim officials will serve for six months as the party works out a solution to their challenges.

Lukwago says that high on his agenda as he assumes office is to fight the delegates conference that was called by the party's electoral commission. Lukwago said that the conference which is scheduled for October 6, 2023, at the party offices in Najjanankumbi, is illegal and urged his newly appointed colleagues to be steadfast in pursuit of the FDC agenda.

The extraordinary delegates conference called by FDC chairman Wasswa Birigwa was scheduled to take place at his Nature's Green Beach Resort in Busabala. However, by 8 am, security had deployed at the entrance of the beach to block the meeting.

Security composed of over 15 officers from the field force unit (FFU) and more than 10 from the military was camped at the entrance of the beach. A few delegates who came to the venue early morning were denied access and asked to leave while journalists were asked to stay away from the venue since there was no activity going on there.

In the trading centre, a few meters to the beach were more than 30 non-uniformed men who were seen beating up a man who had identified himself as a delegate for the meeting. After it became apparent that the conference couldn't proceed at the set venue, delegates convened at the Katonga office where they held the meeting.

On Monday, FDC deputy spokesperson John Kikonyogo accused colleagues pushing for a delegates conference of being ill-intentioned towards the party president and the secretary general. Addressing the press at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi, Kikonyogo said that the proponents of the extraordinary delegates conference do not have clear objectives save for their desire to oust Amuriat and Mafabi.

Birigwa called for an extraordinary delegates conference for today Tuesday, September 19 at his home in Busabala. He said that the aim of the conference is to discuss the different issues in the party including the contested internal elections, allegations of "dirty" money and poor governance concerns.

When allegations of money broke loose generating public debate close to three months ago, there was a group of FDC members who called for the suspension of elections until the allegations of money were settled. 

The party president and the secretary general, however, declined the proposal arguing that they wouldn't suspend a party activity passed by the national executive committee (NEC) and the council. The elections, highly rejected were said to have taken place in different parts of the country.

And by 28 July when FDC held its special national council, it was heard that several places had chosen their leaders from the village level. Kikonyogo said that the national council resolved that the areas that had not elected their leaders to work with the electoral commission to organize elections there. 

He dismissed Birigwa's statement that he had received petitions against the election by arguing that election petitions should be addressed to the party electoral commission and the elections tribunal for appeal and not the office of the national chairman.