30 August 2008
Kampala — "I will not be intimidated in my fight for constitutionalism, even in the FDC, for fear of isolation," Kamya vowed.
Though she does not name the party leaders she referred to, it is believed that the FDC president, Dr. Kizza Besigye, could be among them. Besigye, she said, did not support her bid for party chairmanship.
FDC spokesman Wafula Oguttu, dismissed Kamya's claims, while the party vice-president and Leader of Opposition, Prof. Morris Ogenga Latigo, argued that issues of tribe and religion could not be ruled out of Uganda's politics.
"I was disappointed that Dr. Kizza Besigye, whom I have served with such devotion, had not supported my bid for the chairmanship of FDC, when the Buganda caucus proposed my name. For those two reasons, I submitted my two-sentence resignation letter," she noted.
Rebutting Kamya's accusation that FDC leadership was vicious and cruel, Wafula argued: "If you can spend a whole day discussing with people and come to an understanding, that is not being vicious".
The spokesman revealed that Kamya brought many issues to the party leadership, which were discussed on two occasions.
"The senior lawyers interpreted the law regarding the election of the chairman, which everybody understood, except her. She was advised to seek a neutral legal interpretation if she was not satisfied," he said.
Wafula noted that there was some false information given by Kamya, for instance that Maj. Ruranga Rubaramira, chairman of the electoral commission, had resigned, yet he had merely asked for a study leave and someone is acting in his position.
A decision was taken to reinforce the FDC electoral commission by bringing in two people, one from Lira and another from Kampala, Wafula explained.
The bone of contention is the replacement of the national party chairman following the death of Dr. Sulaiman Kiggundu on June 20. Kamya and her supporters want a Muganda to fill the position to complete his term, which ends in December.
However, Wafula said, the constitution states that the chairman has to be elected by a delegates' conference. He also stated that the constitution provides that the next senior person, a vice-chairperson to that position, can take over.
"Kamya was not a vice-chairperson and she could not take over that position," Wafula stated. However, Kamya denied that she, as a Muganda, wanted to fill the position.
Wafula explained that during the 2005 delegates' conference, many amendments were made in the FDC constitution and not simply the few that Kamya chose to mention.
But Kamya recalled how she was frustrated and consequently edged out of the contest for different positions during the delegates' conference.
She said she didn't challenge the manipulation of the constitution in 2005 for the sake of the infant party. But stressed that she would not accept another attempt at the under hand games the FDC had been accusing Museveni and NRM of doing.
Prof. Latigo argued that there was no issue of tribe and religion in FDC. "What do people agitating about tribe want us to do? To subvert the constitution? What does the population want us to do? To throw away the constitution and appoint a Muganda to satisfy their curiosity?" he asked.
The factors of tribe and religion in politics are realities which have been created over years by sectarian incitement of people for political support, he asserted. "They are realities that will not go away immediately. So we deal with them by people appreciating that these are factors that we must deal with. Our party is even conscious of this," the leader of opposition said.
He added: "The problem is not the party. The problem is those who think that elections are only right when they are the ones elected.
They occur among Buganda, among Acholi, among Banyankole. It is a hallmark of Ugandan politics.
"But I believe that the Buganda quest was a misunderstanding.
They thought that the late Dr. Sulaiman Kiggundu was being replaced by John Butime. That was not true. Butime merely happens to be the only deputy chair who can act in the position of the chair.
"Butime assumed the office by virtue of his position. The constitution says that when the chair is absent, one of the deputy chairs will assume the position as chair in an acting capacity."
The fallout between the former special envoy in the FDC president's office has had a negative impact on the party. This led to a poor turn up at the Besigye's rallies in Kampala and Jinja. The party was also forced to call off grassroot elections that had been planned for August.
Extract from Kamya's statement
Many of us had participated in formulating the FDC constitution and were happy with the draft to be presented to the delegates for adoption. Article 24(3) of the draft constitution stipulated that "the office of the Secretary General shall be on a full-time basis and he/she shall not hold any other office." Article 19(13) (a) stipulated that FDC would have two deputy presidents, among other members of the National Executive Committee.
A few days to the National Delegates' Council, an influential member in FDC asked me which position I planned to contest for and I answered "deputy president".
He told me that I couldn't have it because "we have already given it to X"(mentioned a name). I reminded him that there were two positions, but he mentioned another person whom "we" had designated for the second deputy president. I said I would just keep my position of publicity and spokesperson, which I had held during the interim period.
He said it was not available because "we thought 'Y' (mentioned a name) was more experienced than you", so he would fill it. I said fine, I'll settle for the Diplomatic Affairs portfolio, but he said sorry, 'Z' (name) was going to hold that position. At that time, I burst out: "who is 'we' and where/when do they sit and who gave them the mandate to decide for the party?"
When the FDC chairman, Dr. Sulaiman Kiggundu died, Dr. Besigye declared his preference for a Muslim. Nobody saw anything amiss or said anything against that.
I never said I had to be chairman of FDC and I never raised the Buganda issue.
The party leader says I am reading the constitution wrong and have unleashed the party machinery after me, but I don't think I am wrong. If need be, I shall argue it before a competent jurisdiction.
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