By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
Forum for Democratic Change Secretary General Nathan Nandala Mafabi and party president Hon. Eng Patrick Oboi Amuriat have dismissed as mudslinging reports that they received money from the ruling NRM to fund party electoral activities in 2021 elections.
“The party has never got money from Museveni’s regime as we are
accused of. The only money that the party receives from the government through the National Electoral Commission is legal and has always been fully accounted for,” Amuriat said
The duo was speaking to journalists on the current impasse in the FDC at the party headquarters Najjanankumbi On Wednesday.
Over the past two weeks, there have been escalating fights with in the FDC with the Ssemujju and Lukwago faction accusing SG Mafabi of receiving about 7 billion shillings from Museveni in the 2021 elections and attempts to sell the FDC party to the NRM.
However, the duo have refuted the allegations as blackmail against their reputations and that of the party
“This is our party for which we we have invested our youthful energies and we shall never sell it to anyone at any amount or billions as accused,” Amuriat said.
He added, “it’s disheartening but not surprising that we have been branded as the people who would want to betray the FDC and take it to Mr. Museveni in whatever means that Hon. Ssemujju has described as putting in track and taken away to Museveni something that is an impossibility.”
On the other hand, Mafabi challenged his accusers to lay evidence of the allegations that he received money from the government threatening to expose fraudulent deals involving the Hon. Ssemujju Nganda and Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.
“I am not interested in working with president Museveni , whoever is saying that is peddling falsehoods for their personal reasons,” he said
The Secretary General further challenged Lord Mayor Lukwago to seek legal redress if he has substantial evidence about the matter.
“We have for several times seen the Lord Mayor putting on expensive suits going to court even on petty cases, why doesn’t he go to court?” Nandala challenged
Background
On Wednesday, Amuriat disclosed that accusations of the mysterious money were first raised by the party founding president Col Dr Kizza Besigye Kifefe (Rtd) during the 15th National Council meeting held on 25th- 26th November, 2022 which resolved to establish an Elders Reconciliation Committee headed by Dr Frank Nabwiso to investigate the matter and report back to NEC.
To his dismay however, he was surprised when the information was leaked to the media contrary to what was agreed on in the November 2022 National Council meeting.
Findings of the Nabwiso Committee are according to reports expected to be presented for discussion in the emergency NEC meeting scheduled for July 28, 2023.
Disclosure of Money Sources
The FDC consultative meeting convened at Sharing Hall Nsambya by Hon. Ssemujju Nganda on Monday (July 17) demanded that Mafabi and Amuriat disclosed the right source of the alleged money however, this has been outrightly rejected by the accused side stating that such a disclosure may cause violations to the funders.
“Public disclosure of some sources of funds for the campaigns is not possible because throughout our life as a party. We have maintained a policy where sources of funding that don’t wish to be disclosed are kept confidential,” he said
Amuriat added, “We will not disclose and betray our funders. They could be in government, business people, or civil servants. This is meant to protect them from the Junta.”
Disciplinary Actions
SG Mafabi threatened to take disciplinary actions against Hon Ssemujju and Lukwago over misconduct and
Gov’t Speaks Out
Government through the minister of ICT and national guidance, Hon. Chris Baryomunsi on Monday said that there is no money that was given to the FDC.
Baryomunsi was speaking to journalists at the Uganda Media Centre Kampala when he disclosed that government doesn’t intend to fail FDC urging the party leadership to clean their house and publicly tell Ugandans the source of the money escalating internal fights.
Dialogue
Eng Patrick Amuriat has called for dialogue between the accused and the accusers for better decision making in the party.
“It’s quite natural to have divergent views and as such diversionary is common in any organization similar to the FDC. Its often good to have health internal organization engagements and better decision making particularly when there is dialogue within the organization,” he urged.
