FDC, JEEMA disagree on flag bearer for Bugiri Municipality MP elections

The Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and Justice Forum (JEEMA) have failed to reach a consensus on which candidate to front in the forthcoming Bugiri Municipality Member of Parliament (MP) elections.
The seat has attracted stiff competition between Ms Eunice Namatende and Asuman Basalirwa from FDC and JEEMA respectively.

According to Mr Latif Waiswa, the FDC Publicity Secretary Bugiri Municipality, if FDC fails to front Ms Namatende as its flag bearer, the party will be discouraging ladies from contesting for big posts.
He said: "We cannot support someone who is not on the ground and neither are we saying that Counsel (Basalirwa) is not fit for the seat. He is simply not on the ground like Ms Namatende.’’

He added: "Ms Namatende was elected as FDC party flag bearer six months ago, meaning she is deservedly the Opposition candidate."
"When we look at the statistics of the February 18, 2016 elections, Ms Namatende contested for the post of District Woman MP while Basalirwa went for the Bukooli County seat. But while Ms Namatende got a total of 4,700 votes in Bugiri, Basalirwa got 300 votes,’’ he added.
A number of FDC members Daily Monitor spoke to said they would rally, as Opposition, behind Ms Namatende.

Benard Osinde, the FDC Publicist for Bwole Ward, said both candidates are good but for the sake of wining the seat, Ms Namatende is better positioned as the Opposition candidate to face NRM.
Mr Osinde said they do not want to witness what happened in Kyaddondo East where both FDC candidates were thrown out.

"If we are undecided it means we shall lose the seat to NRM or the Independent candidate,’’ Mr Osinde feared.
The Bugiri District FDC Publicist, Luba Bumali, when contacted, declined to talk, saying issues concerning flag bearers are handled by the party's top officials.
"I'm not in position to give you my stand because I do not want to be quoted. But you can call the FDC Spokesperson, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda,’’ he said.

Ms Namatende, when contacted, said she has no problem standing for the seat of Bugiri Municipality MP because she was elected as FDC flag bearer six months ago.
"My points are clear to the people of Bugiri Municipality; so it is my party to decide on which candidate to front. But I'm ready to stand and be voted for,’’ she said.

Efforts to reach Mr Basalirwa by press time were futile as his known telephone contacts were off.
However, at a press conference convened at Planet Hotel in Bugiri on Wednesday, Mr Basalirwa declared his intention to contest.
"I pledge to fight corruption in the country and urge you to vote for lawyers like me who will interpret the law to the public," he said.
Bugiri Municipality which was curved from Bukooli County has four Wards namely; Naluwerere, Nkusi, Ndifakulya and Bwole - with 27 Villages in total.

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