FDC seeks to replace Muntu

KAMPALA.

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party has set November 2 for election of new leadership.

Addressing journalists at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi yesterday, the opposition party’s deputy secretary general, Mr Harold Kaija, said the current FDC president, Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu’s, term will expire on November 22.

Mr Kaija said it is against this background that the party is now calling on eligible aspirants to prepare to pick nomination forms in July and declare their candidature.

“Those who could be interested in the office of party president of the FDC, registration and picking of nomination forms will be from July 10 to August 12,” Mr Kaija said.

He said nomination of the party president will take place on August 14 and 15 while open campaign will kick off on the 17 and end on 31 of the same month.

Mr Kaija said the party will then hold a delegates conference on November 2 to elect the new FDC president who will be sworn in on November 3.

“I implore those interested in leading our party to start preparing because we need good ideas to push our party to its destination,” Mr Kaija said.

Gen Muntu succeeded the founding FDC president, Dr Kizza Besigye, on November 22, 2012 after attaining 393 votes to beat his closest rival Nandala Mafabi, who was second with 361 ballots during the party elections. Tororo County MP Geoffrey Ekanya came third with 17 votes.

This was Gen Muntu’s second attempt at the party’s presidency. In 2008, he contested for the party presidency but lost to Dr Besigye.
Meanwhile, FDC allows an individual to contest for this position for only two terms. Thus if Muntu is still interested in the party presidency, he is still eligible under the party constitution.
Ms Alice Alaso, former FDC secretary general, told Daily Monitor in a telephone interview yesterday that Gen Muntu will seek a second term and she is ready to support his candidature.

When contacted, Gen Muntu said he would be willing to come back for his final term but it’s too early to announce his move because it might be diversionary and detrimental to the party.

“That exercise is starting in July and then ends in November so there a lot of time for whoever wants or not to run including myself. Right now, I am still building and strengthening the party such as the exercise for EALA and party mobilisation campaigns,” Gen Muntu said.

Mr Wafula Oguttu, former Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, said he is not interested in being the party president despite calls from his colleagues to contest. “I am in the resting mood but I have a candidate I will support already, it is my secret,” Mr Oguttu said.