Anywar pleads with FDC leaders for Kitgum municipality flag
Ms Rose Layet, the FDC chairperson Kitgum District, Beatrice Anywar Kitgum Woman MP, FDC president Mugisha Muntu and FDC presidential candidate Kizza Besigye in Kitgum District at the weekend. Photo by Julius Ocungi
Lamwo- FDC yesterday maintained that Mr Denis Okalit was the party flag bearer for the Kitgum municipality MP seat even as Ms Beatrice Anywar made last minute attempts to persuade the party to reconsider the decision.
The party endorsed Mr Okalit last Friday as its flag bearer despite a petition by Ms Anywar against the decision.
The party accuses Ms Anywar of supporting presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi’s candidature. Ms Anywar seconded Mr Mbabazi’s nomination but the party says she acted outside the party laws.
She (Anywar), first held a closed-door meeting with FDC leaders, including Dr Kizza Besigye and party president Mugisha Muntu at Little Palace Hotel, Kitgum before escorting them to Kitgum Public Primary School where she had gathered FDC district delegates to meet them.
Ms Anywar, popularly known as “mama Mabira” for spearheading efforts to save Mabira Forest when government attempted to give it away to an investor, has been at loggerheads with the party leadership after she openly defied FDC decision to back Dr Besigye as the party flag bearer.
At the school hall, Dr Besigye whose presidential nomination was proposed by Mr Okalit, made no mention of the issue at hand but chose to speak to the delegates about his campaign message weaved around taking power back to the people.
Gen Muntu said the party was facing several challenges in different parts of the country following the party primaries but said everything humanly possible will be done to resolve them.
“Mr Okalit is the one with the party ticket. Ms Beatrice Anywar is running as an independent. I was telling party leaders in Kitgum District that whoever they choose to support, they must not cause confusion during campaigns because after four months, the party has to remain,” Gen Muntu said.
Campaign trail
Dr Besigye, who held rallies at Palabek Kal, Lurkung, Paloga, Agoro and Padibe Town in Lamwo District, said he would not speak about the problems of the people in the area because they already know them more than he does. For example, he cited poverty and unemployment which he said were written on the faces of his audience.
Today, Dr Besigye takes his campaign to Agago District where former Leader of Opposition in Parliament and prominent FDC leader Prof Morris Ogenga-Latigo hails from.
