By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
FDC Najjanankumbi group is holding undercover talks with the Katonga faction to resume on the stalled party corporation.
For over the last 10 months, there has been bickerings within the party between the mainstream party (Najjanankumbi group) and the Katonga separatist group – the Hon. Ssemujju NGANDA and Lord MayorvErias Lukwago-led faction of Katonga road People’s Government. Meanwhile, these factions killed each other in an internecine contest for power and extortion rights.
The media has always been a battleground for the two groups, each accusing the other of working for the government, fighting opposition National Unity Platform (the NUP) party and receiving dirty money from the government. The Katonga group for instance accused SG Nandala Mafabi and Party president Eng. Patrick Oboi Amuriat of receiving money from unknown sources allegedly by president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to fund Amuriat’s 2021 elections . They also accused the part electoral commission led by Hon. Toterebuka Bamwenda of organizing shambolic elections that ushered in new party National Executive Committee leaders phasing out Katonga leadership.
The Katonga fact further went ahead to appoint interim leaders led by Lukwago as their president and Harold Kaija as the
SG but organization of structure elections and NEC election at Patidar Samaj – Lugogo by Najjanankumbi group makes them politically passive.
Having been inaugurated to leadership, the mainstream party held a retreat at Namunonya resort beach in Entebbe last week, in which leaders were inducted to among other areas conflict resolution.
John Kikonyogo the FDC main party spokesperson said on Monday (November 13) that leaders were trained in resolving conflicts and are already in talks with their fellows at Katonga, who he referred to as “prodigal members” to return home and resume party corporation.
“You cannot to yourself that you are going to become a leader in Uganda when you cannot reconcile with your own,” he said.
He disclosed that there are ongoing talks with different individuals to ceasefire and restore unity and corporation in the FDC party.
“We are too much interested in that resolution as the party because it doesn’t make sense to continue exchanging bickery. None of us gains from it, all of us lose,” Kikonyogo said.
According to Kikonyogo, the resolution process is informal because it involves individual members who deserted from the party not a group.
However, the Katonga group Ag. Treasurer General, Hon. Francis Mwijukye said leaders at Najjanankumbi have no constitutional mandate to call them for reconciliation because they don’t exist. He added they are not in any way concerned with what is going on at Najjanankumbi.
Mwijukye who did not go deep into the issues of reconciliation said they (Katonga faction) are waiting for suspended leaders namely Amuriat, Nandala and Hon. Geoffrey Ekanya to face party’s disciplinary committee and thereafter a way forward shall be laid.
