Besigye, Muntu to face off in FDC polls
Dr Kizza Besigye is former president of FDC party and presidential candidate. File photo
KAMPALA- The race to choose a presidential flagbearer has drawn in two FDC titans with former party leader, Dr Kizza Besigye, picking nomination forms yesterday.
Dr Besigye’s entry pits him against current party president, Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu, who declared his bid last Thursday. If he gets the nod, this would be a fourth bid for Dr Besigye, who first entered the presidential elections fray in 2001 upon falling out with President Museveni, whom he accused of turning the ruling party into an undemocratic organisation, which consequently lost sight of its founding ideals.
Dr Besigye, who is currently out of the country, picked his forms through appointed agents yesterday, the party’s electoral body confirmed.
“Gen Muntu picked nomination forms on Thursday last week while Col Besigye’s agents whom he chose and sent a confirmation message, picked his forms this morning at 10am,” Mr Dan Mugarura, the FDC electoral commission chairman, said.
A source informed Daily Monitor that Dr Besigye’s nominations forms were picked by Mr Wilberforce Kyambadde, FDC’s deputy treasurer (Budgeting).
Out of the race
Meanwhile, Mr Moses Byamugisha who had earlier declared his nominal interest as a fringe candidate in the race and picked nomination forms opted out, according to Mr Mugarura.
“Mr Byamugisha picked the nominations but later said he was stepping down to let the older gentlemen tussle it out,” Mr Mugarura said.
The two have previously contested against each other for the party presidency and for FDC flag bearer in 2009 and 2010, respectively.
Dr Besigye has on both occasions trounced Gen Muntu, who replaced him in 2012 after Besigye resigned midway through his second term as FDC leader.
While announcing his bid, Mr Muntu pledged to back the candidate who will have been elected to lead FDC in that endeavour.
“If I find on that day that I have got one vote which certainly will be mine, I will be behind whoever will win.”
“When that time comes, I will stand aside from the presidency until we are through with the process to elect the party flagbearer.”
The FDC will choose its ticket leader between July 1 and 2, during which the vetting and returning of nomination forms will be done in an exercise which observers say may well pit the moderate wing of party against the activist firebrands who have been urging Dr Besigye to return. Elections will then be held on September 2 ahead of the national EC nominations set for October 5 to 6.
The winner of the FDC polls will also have the opportunity to offer himself for consideration as the joint candidate of The Democratic Alliance, the grand coalition of Opposition parties.
