FDC calls for boycott of Museveni, musicians' activities

Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has launched a "Free my Vote" campaign that will seek to boycott activities by Mr Yoweri Museveni and those of musicians deemed to be sympathetic to NRM.

Speaking at the FDC party headquarters in Najjanankumbi, Kampala Monday, Mr Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, the party spokesman, said the campaign, which will “be very peaceful” seeks to alienate those oppressing Ugandans.

"Starting this Thursday we will not be going to work every Thursday of the week and we call upon all Ugandans who voted for [Dr Kizza] Besigye to stay home that day. The home imprisonment will be in protest of the detention of Dr Besigye," Mr Ssemujju said highlighting the continued detention of the party presidential flag bearer at his home in the far flange suburb of Kasangati in Wakiso District.

Mr Ssemujju also said they will be holding prayers at different party offices to pray for Uganda that he claimed continues to be held hostage.

"Every Tuesday will be going for prayers at every party offices putting on black," he said.

Among others, party officials also asked Ugandans to boycott all Mr Museveni’s activities as well as those perpetuating his stay including musicians who campaigned for the National Resistance Movement flag bearer in the presidential elections.

"If they come to a function you all leave. If they play a Chameleon [Joseph Mayanja] song when you are in the taxi you leave. This is going to be a peaceful demonstration," Mr Erias Lukwago, the Kampala Lord Mayor-elect and leader of the Truth for Justice pressure group said at the same press briefing.

However, Mr Moses Ssali aka Bebe Cool dismissed the call as “cheap politics”, saying FDC should concentrate on showing them what “we can do better not what we have done wrong”.

Mr Ssali, one of the lead artists in the Tubonga Nawe project, which famously participated in the re-election of Mr Museveni also said the statement was a perfect FDC weakness, doubting whether “Dr Besigye would support such an idealist agenda that seeks to blackmail one of the most vibrant sectors of Uganda”.

“That statement is unfortunate, especially from a party like FDC. This is a democratic country and we as people who participated in the Tubonga Nawe project had a choice to make,” he said.

He also dismissed claims that Tubonga Nawe musicians had started experiencing flopped shows, saying: “Music has evolved and many now don’t look at numbers but look at where there is money.”

“It is useless to stage a full house show in Nakivubo stadium but get very little return. We are now looking at where, even if it is 500 people, we can get millions,” he said.