A group of opposition Forum for Democratic Change(FDC) NEC members has asked party members to boycott the ongoing internal party elections organized by the president Patrick Amuriat and Secretary General Nandala Mafabi.
Addressing journalists on Thursday in Kampala, FDC spokesperson, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda said the National Executive Committee that sat on June 16, 2023 resolved that a retreat should be organized to discuss sticking issues and that only after that, internal elections can be organized.
"These illegal and manipulated selections by Nandala and his group are in total violation of the June 16th 239th National Executive Committee (NEC) decision. The Toterebuka Bamwenda commission has no register. When these selections taking place are concluded, it will be handed names for it to conduct district elections. That is what is going on," Ssemujju said.
Selections not elections
According to the roadmap issued by the FDC electoral commission chairperson, Toterebuka Bamwenda, the party constituency elections were set to be held between July, 31 and August 1 before district elections set for today, August 3 until August 6.
Speaking on Thursday, FDC spokesperson, Ssemujju Nganda described the said elections as being sham, saying they can only be referred to as selections.
"To qualify as a voter and candidate, one must possess a valid party card. After supplying party cards only to his supporters, Nandala stopped issuance of party cards. The intention was to lockout many party members from the electoral exercise. This so called elections has no electoral officials. Some fellows were picked by some district chairmen and Nandala and trained as district electoral officials for one day. They were dispatched to train sub-county and parish electoral officials," Ssemujju said.
He insisted that sub-county and parish electoral officials were never trained but rather some forms were sent to the district for the "selection exercise to begin."
Demands
The FDC NEC members asked that a transparent register of all FDC members be compiled whereas the electoral commission chaired byToterebuka Bamwenda should also be disbanded.
"A new, credible and impartial electoral commission should be instituted. The National Executive Committee (NEC) should immediately be convened to consider the budget for the election," Ssemujju said.
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"Nandala, Amuriat and any other party leaders who intend to participate in the election as a candidate, steps aside and an interim leadership is constituted to steer the party up to the next delegates' conference."
Speaking during the same press conference, Buhweju County MP, Francis Mwijukye described the polls as a ploy aimed at officially handing over the opposition political party to President Museveni.
"We are aware one of the issues that Nandala and his group agreed upon with Mr. Museveni is to organize this sham election to potray the Electoral Commission by Justice Byabakama as being credible. It is not a coincidence it has happened at a time when Electoral Commission launched its roadmap for 2026 general election," Mwijukye said.
"We know their plan is to make sure that during the sham election by Nandala Mafabi and his group, some security personnel from Museveni are selected as leaders so that when we go to the delegates conference, the party is finally handed over to Museveni. We however want to warn them that FDC is not like any other parties that Museveni has taken over. It is deep rooted. We shall do whatever is humanly possible to ensure Museveni only takes over Nandala,Amuriat and their cohorts and not FDC party."
