By Mary Blessing Ahairiirwe,
NATIONAL:
The Forum for Democratic Change has on Monday January 24, begun the nomination exercise to identify the party’s flagbearers for East African Legislative Assembly elections(EALA) scheduled for this year.
According to the party president, Patrick Oboi Amuriat, the exercise that begins today Monday January 24 will end tomorrow Tuesday 25, January, with interested candidates picking up nomination forms and start collecting signatures from other party members to second their candidatures.
Amuriat has called on members of the FDC to pick nomination forms expressing their interest for MP EALA parliament.
He however, said that members of the FDC already serving in parliament (MPs), Local Council leaders, civil servants, and the army who are supporters of the FDC do not qualify to contest.
According to the roadmap released by the FDC, interested candidates are expected to return nomination forms on Thursday January 27 and Friday January 28, when the party will declare the successfully nominated candidates.
The party has further fixed February 8, as the date for the voting of the candidates who will have been nominated.
By the time of publishing this report, six candidates had already expressed interests to contest for the position.
These are Harold Kaija, the party Deputy Secretary General and Dr. Joseph Tindyebwa, the party Deputy Secretary General in charge of Policy and Research.
Other candidates who by the close of business had picked nomination forms according to Augustine Ojobile, the fdc EC member, include Wante Jamal – FDC District Chairman (Namutumba), Nanyonjo Suzan (Deputy Secretary for Culture, Ethics and Religious Affairs, Muwonge Dan – Secretary for Presidency, and Seruwuge Yasin – Former FDC MP candidate (Bukoto South)
Speaking to the media shortly after picking nomination form, Kaija revealed a five point programme to work on when elected the MP in the EALA. The points include advocating for climate change, common currency, setting up an East African Trade Tribunal, Trade protection and Employment policies.
Citing out the recent trade embargoes that Kenya had imposed on some Ugandan agricultural products and the nearly two years closure of Uganda Rwanda border at Cyanika, Kaija says that there is a need for establishment of a tribunal to handle trade affairs between East African member states rather than having issues settled between the involved parties.
Not different from Kaija, Dr. Joseph Tindyebwa says once elected to the EALA, he will foster for the common East African currency noting that the Ugandan shilling is depreciating as compared to other EAC member states’ currencies.
Tindyebwa believes that once a common currency is adopted, it will ease trade and other transactions within the region. He also hints on the need for the respect of democratic values amid the proposed EAC federation as well as establishing a specialised medical centre for East Africa to minimise on the costs of abroad medical treatments.
“I present my candidature on the view of what I can offer that has not been offered by the past parliaments”, Dr. Tindyebwa told journalists shortly after picking nomination form.
