By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
There appears to be cracks in the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Katonga faction led by the group’s interim President, Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago after a group of youth affiliated to the faction announced their departure.
Led by Sendyowa Twaha, former FDC Katonga Mobilizer for Nansana municipality, the youth claim they were misled by self-serving individuals who manipulated them into breaking away from the main party. They say staying in the politically “misguided” group is no longer tenable due to prevailing political developments.
Their announcement comes after leaders at Katonga announced decision to dissolve the party and form a new entity which the youth say is a reason for their departure. They questioned the strategy, goals and good will to remove President Museveni’s government and rescuing the party.
“The “Rescue Najjanankumbi” campaign and other initiatives led by the Katonga group, like the “Tujja Tujja” slogan, have not gained traction. This history of failed attempts to galvanize support raises questions about their current efforts,” said Sendyowa.
Disgruntled youth were holding play cards with messages; ” Katonga Offices Dissolved”, “We Are Back Home.” They dissolved their affiliation with Katonga faction and opted to rejoin FDC Najjanankumbi, denouncing Katonga as an “agent of confusion.”
“We hereby dissolve Katonga based offices in relation to any Political Activities and declare that anybody who associates with the Katonga offices are doing so as friends of Chairman Chappa Karuhanga or visitors of the staff but not for political purposes,” the youth said while chanting political slogans of Najjanankumbi group.
They accused Katonga interim President Erias Lukwago of seeking to divide and destroy FDC following his media comments about burying the party. The youth urged all members who are politically affiliated to the faction to return to their mother political parties.
Additionally, Sendyowa likened Lukwago’s comments to bury FDC and establish a new party to a biblical story of King Solomon and the two wives quarrelling over a child in which one of the women suggested for cutting off the child in half, and charged him and team to apologize for masquerading as FDC leaders and demanded for their immediate resignation from the political positions they hold on tickets of a party they claim is already devoid of substance.
“This exactly exposes Lukwago’s willingness to divide and potentially destroy a party he never built rather than preserving unity and furthering its
growth,” he said.
They were welcomed back to FDC headquarters (Najjanankumbi) by the party’s national youth leader, Francis Adepo at Kenlon Hotel in Mengo Lubaga on Thursday. He retaliated the FDC Najjanankumbi message of reconciliation, oneness to build a strong party.
“Throughout our media briefings and nationwide mobilization campaigns, our core message has been centered on the principles of Our Lord’s prayer, emphasizing reconciliation and unity. I’m grateful that Twaha and his group have embraced this message and chosen to follow a path of unity. The FDC will always be your home, as the saying goes, ‘East to West, Home is the Best,” Adepo said.
It is further speculated that there are more prominent individuals in Katonga who have silently quit and sought return to Najjanankumbi including current and former members of parliament and leaders within the faction.
