By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Electoral Commission Secretary, Augustine Ojobile has defended his party’s low-key and lean campaign approach, saying it prioritises policy proposals over the traditional show of crowds at rallies.
Speaking in an interview, with Parrots Media, Ojobile, said FDC presidential candidate is banking on issue-based campaigning to win votes, emphasizing that their focus is on ‘Solutions, Not Rallies’.
“My president is going to garner the highest number of votes because our strategy is more effective. We don’t go for rallies; we sell solutions that put money in people’s pockets,” Ojobile said referencing the party elections slogan of; “Fixing the economy, Money in your pockets”.
According to Ojobile, FDC is proposing targeted interventions to boost household income, including giving new graduates at least Sh1 million in start-up capital, cutting commercial lending rates to 2 percent, and reducing taxes to spur production and investment.
“If someone spends Sh5,500 on bread, we want them to spend Sh2,000 instead. That leaves more money in their pocket. Any businessperson hearing this will know where to vote,” he added.
He also weighed in on the recent incidents of political violence, allegedly masterminded by the current government against members of the opposition, saying Uganda’s political system is still evolving.
“We are a young democracy. We must learn to sit together even when we disagree politically, for the sake of Uganda,” he said.
Furthermore, Ojobile warned that the growing commercialisation of politics is eroding leadership quality, arguing that many competent leaders are edged out because they lack the financial muscle to sustain campaigns.
“We have lost many credible leaders because they have no money. The regime of Mr Museveni has made money the language of politics,” he said.
Many people argue that huge crowds at political rallies do not translate to votes, giving FDC’s lean strategy an edge.
“Rally-goers may be curious, not committed voters, large crowds don’t equal votes,” said Benjamin Opio, Political Science student in Uganda.
On contrary, Johnson Natukunda says crowds determines individual candidate’s performance although may not guarantee electoral victory.
“I believe yes! Much as they might not necessarily mean that the candidate in question will actually win the race (since there are other determinants), numbers at rallies tells us the support for the candidates of which 80% turns into actual votes. To put more meat to my point of view, based on the numbers at Mabrizi’s rallies, I can confidently say he won’t be in the first four.”
The Electoral Commission has yet to comment on the concerns raised by various political actors about the conduct of campaigns and the escalating cost of seeking office.
