Muntu to launch consultations in Hoima

Former FDC President Gen Mugisha Muntu will on Monday launch his national wide consultative meetings.
He has selected Bunyoro sub region to host his first meeting which will be at Hoima resort Hotel in Hoima town.
“Am the chief convener of the meeting but Gen Muntu who has confirmed his availability will be a chief speaker,” said Mr Jackson Wabyoona, the Hoima FDC chairman on Sunday.

Wabyoona, a member of the national FDC security committee said Gen Muntu will present a paper on the current and historical perspective of multi-party politics in Uganda.
This will be Gen Muntu’s first public consultative meeting since he lost the hotly contested FDC Presidential elections to former Kumi MP Mr Patrick Oboi Amuriat.

After losing the elections, Gen Muntu, a former army commander said during the campaigns, it became clear that there was considerable mistrust against him in the party.
“Indeed it is this mistrust that characterized my tenure. I hope Patrick Amuriat gets better support, trust and cooperation than I was afforded,” Muntu said after the November polls.

As a soldier, Muntu said no matter how well trained or equipped the army may be, it is impossible to fight and win at the frontline if those besides and behind are hesitant to be led by their commander.
“In the coming days when the dust has settled, we will have to think long and hard about what this distrust means and why it persists. At a personal level, I will have to make several decisions. I ask for your patience, prayers and understanding,” said Muntu who conceded defeat.

During the highly divisive poll, Mr Amuriat appeared along with former FDC President Dr Kizza Besigye during various campaign rallies and meetings. This was interpreted by some party loyalists as Besigye’s open fight against NRA bush war comrade Gen Muntu.
“There are two methods of work in FDC which if well-handled can cause friction in the party,” said Wabyoona who served as a deputy secretary in the FDC President’s office during Dr Besigye’s tenure in office.

Cracks in the party
In order to capture power, the pro-Muntu supporters have fronted a method of organization and party development while most pro-Besigye supporters believe in defiance as an appropriate method, according to some political observers.
“The two methods need to be reconciled,” Mr Wabyoona said.
Gen Muntu is expected to address a gathering of people who will be drawn from various political parties, the private sector and civil society, organisers have said.

“He will consult across party lines because Uganda is moving towards a political transition that requires an input of citizens, irrespective of their social, economic and political affiliations,” Wabyoona said.
Gen Muntu and Dr Besigye are retired soldiers who held several senior positions under President Museveni whom they are now working to dislodge from power.

FDC sets terms
In a letter dated January 10, 2018, the FDC Secretary General Mr Nandala Mafabi wrote to FDC district chairpersons and the party’s general secretaries instructing them to convene only activities that are approved by the party headquarters.
“This is to inform you that anyone from headquarters or anywhere who intends to carry out an activity in your district in the name of the party should demonstrate that the activity was discussed and approved by the party national executive committee,” Nandala wrote.

He said the new FDC president has set targets to be achieved in the first 100 days and urged them to support him and the party to achieve the set goals.
“All the activities of the party will be communicated to you by my office,” Mafabi added.

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