FDC Katonga faction set for mobilisation drive

A team of founding members of the Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) yesterday blessed the Katonga faction led by the Kampala Lord Mayor, Mr Erias Lukwago, and gave them the green light to carry on with their planned activities.

The founder members, who converged yesterday in Namugongo during the consultative meeting organised by the Katonga faction, indicated that they were disappointed by what was happening in the party, but said they were comfortable with the roadmap laid out by the Katonga team.

The Bugisu region elder, Mr Habib Wabende, said FDC was formed as an alternative to the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party but the feud within the party beat this purpose.

He said the party supporters are also divided after different accounts being reported in the media.

“We are ready to work with the interim leadership and tell the people who is right and who is wrong. We are going to tell the people back home that what is in the media is wrong,” Mr Wabende said.

Mr Maate Santo, an elder from Kasese, asked the Katonga team to stay focused and continue with the nationwide mobilisation to convince and recruit more people to the party.

Among the resolutions that were reached after the meeting included proceeding with various court cases against the Najjanankumbi team, kickstarting their nationwide mobilisation campaigns as well as conducting their grassroots elections.

Addressing journalists after the meeting yesterday, the acting vice chairperson, Ms Salaam Musumba, said party officials are starting their nationwide mobilisation next week.

She said they will meet party leaders starting with Busoga Sub-region before traversing the entire country ahead of the faction’s January grassroot elections.

Purpose of drive

“We are going to start nationwide outreach [exercise] to tell the country and our party supporters what happened. We shall also listen to what our supporters want to tell us,” Ms Musamba said.

She added: “After those meetings, we expect them to draw the line most especially on where they belong. The elders and founder members are satisfied with what we are doing and we are on the same page with them.”

Meanwhile, Ms Musumba said they are not planning to seek permission from the police, saying that just like the police did not disrupt their Namugongo meeting, they are optimistic that the same will prevail in the subsequent meetings.

Team members

•Kampala City Mayor Erias Lukwago-interim president

• Harold Kaija – interim secretary general

• Francis Mwijukye- interim treasurer

•Ibrahim Semujju Nganda- acting spokesperson

•Dr Kizza Besigye-founding party president and former presidential candidate

•Ambassador Wasswa Birigwa-former national chairman

•Salaam Musumba-acting  vice chairperson

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