l saw Jim Spire (cartoonist)drawing a cartoon of me sipping yellow juice. I don't know what he was trying to insinuate and a lot of people abusing me on Social Media calling me a sellout; I don't care about it because that's not me
The leader of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Amuriat, has stated that he is unfazed by the insults directed at him on social media.
For years, Amuriat has faced criticism and online abuse from individuals who accuse him of being a sellout to the government, a claim also previously made by the imprisoned Dr. Kiiza Besigye.
Dr. Besigye, who has been incarcerated since November, raised concerns about undisclosed campaign funding to his former party from unknown sources, which he labeled as "dirty money." This has since fuelled a narrative on social media suggesting that Amuriat is a State sellout.
Appearing on NBS Television's Morning Breeze, Amuriat said he did not care about those insinuating that he is a sellout, asserting that such accusations do not define him.
"l saw Jim Spire (cartoonist)drawing a cartoon of me sipping yellow juice. I don't know what he was trying to insinuate and a lot of people abusing me on Social Media calling me a sellout; I don't care about it because that's not me," Amuriat said.
It is worth mentioning that Amuriat has faced scrutiny for not vocally condemning the ongoing detention of Besigye.
Besigye was arrested in Kenya while attending the launch of Martha Karua's book and was subsequently brought before the general court martial in Makindye on charges of treachery and illegal possession of ammunition.
Many in the opposition have been actively calling for Besigye's release.
However, there is a perception that the FDC and its president, Amuriat, have not done enough compared to their counterparts in advocating for Besigye's freedom.
When Amuriat has spoken out for Besigye's release, some have suggested that he is merely pretending, a notion he rejects.
"Whenever you talk about Kiiza Besigye they think you're pretending just because we had a misunderstanding with him. Our misunderstanding in the party with KB (Besigye) does not mean we hate him, does not mean we are insensitive to what he's going through," Amuriat said.
He added, "It's not just about Dr Kiiza Besigye but about the future of this country because any political player could find themselves in that place."
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
In 2023, as divisions within the FDC intensified, some members accused Amuriat and party secretary Nathan Nandala Mafabi of receiving questionable funds from Museveni prior to the 2021 presidential election.
Besigye himself stated that he had refrained from supporting Amuriat in the 2021 elections due to concerns over what he said was "dirty money" received by by the current FDC president and colleagues from the very source they were opposing in the elections.
"The absence of the campaign management team coupled with the money coming from another candidate (president Museveni) assured me that this was simply a phony election. It was not going to be a campaign worth my risks and effort and I chose to stay away from it," he said.
In July of last year, during an appearance on NBS Morning Breeze, Amuriat stated that the allegations of receiving 'dirty money' were unfounded and propagated by political players, asserting that the party had never accepted any funds from Museveni.
