Namboole — Voting for the Forum for Democratic Change Party president has begun in Namboole. Over 900 party delegates have lined up at ten polling stations to cast their vote for their favourite candidate.

The race for the party presidency is between Dr Kizza Besigye, the current office holder and Gen Mugisha Muntu. A few minutes back, the two candidates where each given 30 minutes in which to convince the delegates to vote for them.

Gen Muntu told delegates that his intention to stand for FDC president was not to split the party but to show demonstrate democracy within the party . He added that whatever the outcome of the election process, the party would emerge out of it as a formidable and strong party. Gen Muntu also promised to focus on improvement of health services and reduction in participation of the army in the country's politics.

Dr Besigye asked the delegates to vote for him because he has proved himself a worthy candidate who also secured votes from people in various political parties in previous elections and was the right candidate to bring opposition into power. He added that he would continue to fight bad politics and leadership once he is elected.

Dr Besigye also assured the delegates of total accountability of the party funds and zero tolerance for corruption. The party's electoral commission is now set to carry out a roll call of the delegates before voting kicks off shortly. The conference has also attracted members from other political parties including Uganda people's Congress Party president Mr Olara Otunnu and Democratic Party president Nobert Mao.

The FDC Chairman, Mr Sam Njuba, who opened the conference in the morning promised other political parties that FDC will not overshadow them under the Inter-Party Cooperation, the umbrella body for the opposition parties. He called for one strong voice by the opposition to be able to cause change in the country as the 2011 presidential and parliamentary elections for 2011 draw closer.

However, earlier, there was bickering as supporters of Gen Muntu objected to the idea of having the current FDC president Dr. Besigye open the conference. They argued that this would give him undue advantage over his opponent. Both Besigye and Muntu are vying for the party presidency.

The delegates also observed a moment of silence in honor of all the people who died in the September city riots, Bududa landslides, floods and the Kasubi shoot out and called for an international commission of inquiry into the matter.