Eng Patrick Oboi Amuriat, the Forum for Democratic Change’s president, has rejected the resolution that would have suspended him and other party officials.
Tuesday’s extra Ordinary Delegates Conference, called by FDC Party National Chairman Wasswa Birigwa in Kampala, decided to suspend Amuriat, party treasurer Geoffrey Ekanya, and secretary general Nathan Nandala Mafabi.
The party vice president Erias Lukwago, who oversees Buganda, was named Party President; Harold Kaija, the deputy secretary general, was named General Secretary; and Francis Mwijukye, the deputy treasurer, was named Treasurer of the interim committee.
Speaking on Thursday at the FDC headquarters, where a number of party members had gathered to select nomination forms in advance of an October delegate conference, Amuriat rejected the Tuesday resolutions, claiming that those chosen were Katonga leaders.
He characterised the gathering on Tuesday as an attempt at yet another coup against the FDC’s rightful leadership.
Amuriat charged Birigwa of organizing a convention of unauthorized delegates.
Additionally, he disclosed his plan to suspend Birigwa and other party officials for failing to fulfil their mandates and showing loyalty to Katonga.
However, he said that the party’s working committee is still failing to implement his strategy.
After the FDC delegates were gathered at the Sharing Hall in Nsambya Kampala by Spokesperson Ibrahim Semujju Nganda, who revealed that Secretary-General Nandala had received billions of “dirty” money that he and Amuriat had lavishly spent during the 2021 elections, the party was split into two factions.
Even though Ssemujju made the accusation publicly known, it was first made in 2020 by President Dr. Kiiza Besigye of the FDC, the party’s founding party.
Nandala, Amuriat, and other high-ranking party leaders were placed on one side by the accusations that he refuted, while Besigye, Ssemujju, Lukwago, Mwijukye, and others were placed on the other.
Since then, attempts to bring the two parties together have failed, resulting in the formation of two factions: Nandala, headquartered at the party headquarters, and Dr. Besigye, based at his Katonga office in Kampala Central.
However, Amuriat claimed that the purpose of the events at the FDC members’ Katonga headquarters is to drive him and other party officials out.
He claimed that after taking over as the party’s head, they wanted him to work under their armpits, something he was unable to accept.
He expressed regret to the FDC members for selecting Lukwago as his deputy, claiming that he had mistakenly believed someone to be a mercenary employed by FDC members stationed in the Katonga office.
Those who wish to hold positions within the party, according to Amuriat, ought to take part in the current election process.
He declared that he would run for party president and that he would begin seeking support around the nation the following week.
Nandala declared his intention to run for the FDC Secretary General post. Once more, he denied receiving funds from dubious sources with the goal of mortgaging the gathering.
He boasted about his intelligence, as did some of his colleagues, including Yusuf Nsibambi.
He blasted people who said he was collaborating with National Resistance Movement (NRM) party members and President Yoweri Museveni in order to gain a post in government.
Nandala stated that he is confident the electoral process the party is conducting is lawful based on the opinion of attorneys.
South Mawokota Members were also given the assurance that the election process was lawful and genuine, as approved by the National Executive Committee (NEC) and the party’s National Council, by FDC lawyer and member of parliament Yusuf Nsibambi.
According to Nsibambi, whatever that occurred at Katonga was unlawful, and the only way to become a leader is through a recognized electoral process.
On October 6, 2023, the faction based at the headquarters is planning to hold a delegates’ meeting.