Muntu-Mafabi rivalry intensifies as FDC delegates conference nears

The battle lines are being drawn in Uganda’s largest Opposition party, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), between camps allied to FDC president Mugisha Muntu and his political nemesis Budadiri West legislator Nathan Nandala Mafabi.

FDC will on June 12 hold a delegates conference at the Mandela National Stadium to fill different posts from national chairperson to secretary general and party vice presidents.

According to party insiders, the direction the election seems to be taking so far points to the November 2012 polls where Gen Muntu defeated Mr Mafabi by 32 votes.

While Mr Mafabi gave a concession speech and appeared to have conceded defeat, the events since their bitter contest suggest the two have never buried the hatchet.

What is at stake
If anyone has anything to lose in the June 12 polls, then it is Gen Muntu. While his post as FDC president will not be up for grabs, because his term has not yet expired, his colleagues and confidants with whom he has been running the party since he took over will either be retiring or jostling for other posts.

Gen Muntu has had a hard time consolidating his position as FDC president with a number of FDC members, either openly questioning his leadership style or taking backstage from party activities.

But he has remained steadfast on his campaign to build grassroots party structures across the country as a way of ensuring stability in the country should NRM be defeated.

In an effort to stamp his authority on the party, Gen Muntu at the beginning of 2014 sacked Mr Mafabi from the position of Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LOP), replacing him with Wafula Oguttu, then FDC spokesperson. Mr Mafabi had in 2011 been appointed by Dr Besigye.

However, seizing the opportunity to take up a position that could prove a pain in Muntu’s neck, Mr Mafabi is said to be eyeing the post of secretary general which has been held by one of Muntu’s most trusted lieutenants, Ms Alice Alaso.

Ms Alaso, the Serere Woman representative, has on several occasions publicly defended her party boss. But she will have to give way to another party member since the FDC constitution does not allow her to stand again. Alaso has already served two terms and is not supposed to seek re-election for a third term.

In fact, Ms Alaso, like most of the national council members, should have left the stage two years ago. But the party was said to be at crossroads and holding elections to replace leaders at that moment was explosive. Their term of office expired on February 19, 2013.

Ms Alaso played a key role in the election of Gen Muntu as party president. In the aftermath of the polls where Muntu was elected FDC president, Mr Mafabi’s team tagged their loss on a flawed electoral process.

Mr Rubaramira Ruranga, then chairperson of the Mafabi team, wanted FDC secretary general Alaso, who supported Muntu going into the election, and the chairman of the party electoral commission, Mr Dan Mugarura, to resign over what they described as their involvement in tilting the election in Mr Muntu’s favour.

Former party president Kizza Besigye and then party chairman, Sam Njuba (RIP), tried to reconcile the two camps but with little success. The talks were hurt by the fact that the demand by Mr Mafabi’s camp to have Ms Alaso and Mr Mugarura resign ended in futility.

Likely candidates
If indeed Mr Mafabi decides to contest, he will have to tussle it out against the likes of Terego County MP Kassiano Wadri, Tororo County MP Geoffrey Ekanya, Kaberamaido Woman MP Ibi Florence Ekwau, among others.

Mr Ekanya, who like Mr Mafabi lost to Mr Muntu, downplays any differences in FDC.

“Myself, Reagan (Okumu) and Nandala, we are very committed. This election should help to strengthen the party, if some people are going to be rigid on positions, some of us are ready to let go for the good of our party,” Mr Ekanya says.

Ms Alaso also dismisses any talk of factions in FDC.
“First there is only one party called FDC which is led by Gen Muntu. As long as one is still a member of FDC, they are led by Gen Muntu.”

On what her next move is, Ms Alaso says, “I will just wake up on that day and declare where I will stand.”

Both Gen Muntu and Mr Mafabi could not be reached for comment on this story as they did not pick our repeated calls or reply our text messages.
However, in a media interview last week Mr Mafabi made it clear that he would not support Gen Muntu in the forthcoming general elections and instead rooted for Muntu’s predecessor, Dr Besigye.

Significance of SG post
The post of secretary general is an important one and any president of the party will want to have a good working relationship with the person holding that post.

For example, the SG provides leadership to the secretarial and administrative services to the organs of the party. He/she ensures that the decisions of the delegate’s conferences, National Council and National Executive Committee are implemented.

Other duties include preparing policy papers for the party and making sure party rules and regulations are followed, on top of a number of other duties that come up from time to time.

Likely candidates for the FDC secretary general post

Florence Ibi Ekwau

Born in 1976, Ms Ekwau is a teacher and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education.

She is currently the woman representative of Kaberamaido District and shadow minister of Land and Physical Infrastructure.

She sits on the Natural Resources and Public Account Committees of Parliament. She is a member of the AMANI Peace Forum, Food Security and Reproductive Health Forum and the Children Forum in Parliament.

In addition to being a member of the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association.

Gooffrey Ekanya

He is the Member of Parliament for Tororo County, a seat he won in the 2001 parliamentary elections.
Mr Ekanya has been a Member of Parliament since 1998. He represented the youth of Eastern Uganda between 1998 and 2001.

He was born to Owino Obella and Felista Achola in Tororo District, on April 21, 1971.
He started his education at Oguti Primary School in Tororo and attended Mbale Senior Secondary School and Nkoma Senior Secondary School. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in history and sociology as well as a Master’s Degree in Sociology from Makerere University.

He has held the position of chairman Young Parliamentarians Association from 2001 to 2003. He sits on the Parliamentary Committees for the National Economy, Local Government and Presidential and Foreign Affairs.

Prior to joining politics, Mr Ekanya was a researcher with a Kenyan Company in 1996 after which he practiced journalism until 1998.

About standing: “I am a servant of the people. Many people are requesting me to stand for secretary general but am still weighing. I will stand provided my candidature will not bring differences. I therefore have no problem whatever position I am nominated to serve in.”

Kassiano Wadri

Wadri is currently the deputy secretary general of the FDC.

He was born on September 29, 1957, in Aii-vu Sub-county. A social worker by profession, he joined Parliament in 2001 from the ministry of Gender where he had worked as a commissioner for youth and children affairs.

He holds a Masters degree in Social Sector Planning and Management, Makerere (2001), PGD Public Administration, UMI/Makerere (1993), BA (SWASA), Mak (1981), Associate Degree, Democracy and Social Development, Nkozi University (2003). Wadri also served as Opposition Chief Whip and chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament.

About standing: “Do I look incompetent? I have been in that office as a deputy for a long time. I also have long standing experience in the public service. I intend to keep the various districts in charge, to disseminate information and to keep the general membership of the party involved. I look at FDC as one party. I don’t look at factions in the party because they are an imagination. FDC is one.”

Nandala Mafabi

He is the current Member of Parliament for Budadiri County West in Sironko District. He has been representing the district since 2001.

From May 2011 until January 2014, he was the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, before he was replaced by Wafula Oguttu.

He was born in Busamaga village, Sironko District, on January 17, 1966. After attending local primary schools, he transferred to Mbale Secondary School for his O-Level studies. For his A-Level education, he attended Busoga College, Mwiri, in Jinja District.

He was admitted to Makerere University, graduating in 1988 with the degree of Bachelor of Statistics and Economics. He followed that with the Postgraduate Diploma in Education, also from Makerere in 1989.

In 1993, he obtained the Diploma in Income Tax Administration from Uganda Management Institute in Kampala.

In 1995, he was admitted the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants as a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

In 1997, he went back to Makerere University, graduating in 2000 with Master of Arts in Economics, followed by the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 2006.
He is famous for his no-nonsense approach to fighting graft while chairing the Public Accounts Committee. Mafabi lost out on the Speaker’s seat to Rebecca Kadaga.