FDC leaders meet to discuss flag bearer
The FDC party president, Mr Patrick Amuriat (right), addressing the media during the unveiling of Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago (second left) as a member of the party last week. PHOTO | ALEX ESAGALA
What you need to know:
- Dr Kizza Besigye has refused to yield to calls to stand for president for a fifth time. The party has fielded Dr Besigye on all three occasions since its founding in 2005, and Dr Besigye had competed for the presidency one other time in 2001 before political parties were reintroduced.
The top leadership of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party is meeting today at their headquarters in Najjanankumbi, Kampala, to discuss who will be their presidential flag bearer in the 2021 General Election.
Whereas other parties have already identified and nominated their candidates for President, FDC is yet to nominate someone to carry their party flag.
The nominations have been postponed twice.
The party president, Mr Patrick Amuriat, told Daily Monitor in an interview yesterday that the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) will meet today to decide on the final dates when the party will nominate their presidential candidates.
He also said NEC will decide when and how the party will hold its delegates conference to select a candidate who will carry the party flag in 2021 with or without guidelines from the Electoral Commission (EC).
“We have been postponing our internal elections for the party flag bearer because the EC has not yet issued guidelines on how internal parties should elect their flag bearers. More constituencies are also being added across the country and all these must first be considered before we start the process,” Mr Amuriat said.
“NEC will make the final conclusion today on when the party will announce its flag bearer and I assure you that we have very many potential candidates who are ready to pick forms,” he added.
The party national chairman, Mr Wasswa Birigawa, said the NEC will also be discussing what is going on in the EC and how to deal with the new constituencies that have been added, among others.
On whether the party has already identified the presidential flag bearer, Mr Amuriat said they have not completely taken their eyes off Dr Besigye as a potential contender because the party thinks he might change his mind and carry the party flag.
He also said they are still in talks with other potential top leaders within the party over the same.
FDC has been convincing Dr Besigye to carry the party flag for the fifth time but he is non-committal.
Dr Besigye informed the leaders that he does not want to participate in an election conducted by the current EC because he questions its credibility.
The party has, however, reportedly lined up the city Lord Mayor, Mr Erias Lukwago, Mr Amuriat, Mr Birigawa, Ms Joyce Ssebugwawo, and Mr Nandala Mafabi as plan B, should Mr Besigye refuse to carry the party flag.
Meanwhile, the party has started conducting party primaries for other elective positions other than for presidential flag bearer post.
The party’s deputy electoral commission chief, Mr Boniface Bamwenda, said elections in some districts like Kasese have been completed.
He added that primaries in other districts are still under way.
Dr Besigye
Dr Kizza Besigye has refused to yield to calls to stand for president for a fifth time. The party has fielded Dr Besigye on all three occasions since its founding in 2005, and Dr Besigye had competed for the presidency one other time in 2001 before political parties were reintroduced.
Since the founding of the FDC, the only person who has challenged Dr Besigye for the party ticket is Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu, who has since left the party to found the ANT party.
