{UAH} Pojim/WBK: Besigye - Mbabazi race sparks revolt in FDC - Elections

http://www.monitor.co.ug/SpecialReports/Elections/Besigye---Mbabazi-race-sparks-revolt-in-FDC/-/859108/2876292/-/vvgomkz/-/index.html

Besigye - Mbabazi race sparks revolt in FDC

Former prime minister Amama Mbabazi (L) chats with FDC presidential flag bearer Dr Kizza Besigye (R) at The Democratic Alliance office in Naguru, Kampala last week. PHOTO BY DOMINIC BUKENYA. 

In Summary

Worried. FDC was rattled by the possibility of their flag bearer, Dr Besigye, being kicked out of the presidential race in favour of Mr Amama Mbabazi

The Mbabazi-Besigye race for joint candidate for the Opposition under The Democratic Alliance (TDA), has sparked a revolt within the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). Party officials and supporters are demanding that Dr Kizza Besigye, also the party flag bearer, pulls out of the coalition and stands for the national presidency on his own.

As the deadline for naming the TDA joint Opposition candidate drew closer yesterday, FDC, the biggest Opposition party, was rattled by the possibility of their flag bearer, Dr Besigye, being kicked out of the presidential race in favour of former prime minister Amama Mbabazi.

Besigye fans adamant
Dr Besigye's loyalists are adamant that he is the most potent Opposition candidate and that his absence on the ballot paper will play into President Museveni's advantage. Dr Besigye seemed poised to scoop the TDA flag until Mr Mbabazi's late entry into the alliance after the nomination deadline was extended to accommodate his demands.

Supporter storm summit
The revolt within the FDC was obvious as party loyalists stormed the meeting venue of the TDA summit on Thursday and hurled insults at the party president, Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu. 
They also insulted Mr Amanya Mushega, a prominent member of the FDC party, who they accused of working against Dr Besigye within TDA. Both Gen Muntu and Mr Mushega remained in the meeting room as Dr Besigye went out to calm down the party supporters. Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Wafula Oguttu, who is also the TDA spokesperson, too spoke to the FDC party loyalists to try and calm their fears.

The group, led by MPs Jack Sabiiti, William Nzoghu, Odonga Otto and Patrick Amuriat Oboi, had gone to demand FDC's withdrawal from TDA coalition following media stories which quoted a TDA report rating Dr Besigye below Mr Mbabazi and DP president Norbert Mao. Following the FDC protests, the report, drawn by the committee in charge of candidate selection, was on Thursday thrown out by the TDA summit and instead a minority report authored by Ms Ingrid Turinawe, the FDC secretary for mobilisation and a member of the committee was considered for discussion.

Ms Turinawe had walked out of the meeting which rated the candidates after Mr Mushega, who chaired the committee, reportedly disregarded her concerns. They are both members of FDC. The entire selection process was therefore quashed after the summit agreed that the selection committee had exceeded its mandate by going as far as grading the candidates.

Mr Mushega supported Gen Muntu against Dr Besigye during the race to select the FDC flag bearer on September 2 and got into an open burst up with Dr Besigye. Dr Besigye's supporters say the burst up compromised Mushega's impartiality in evaluating Dr Besigye's candidature.

To compound the differences within the FDC team at TDA, sources say Dr Besigye and Gen Muntu have often differed during the TDA summit meetings, especially regarding whether to first pursue electoral reforms before elections or go to the elections regardless of whether the government accepts to endorse the reforms or not.

Dr Besigye wants TDA, which was born out of a process that had been started to pursue electoral reforms before elections, to first restate its position on the matter before discussing candidature.

UPC president Olara Otunnu, also a member of the TDA summit, in the Sunday Monitor of September 13, argued that the Opposition and civil society should not pursue just reforms but a new electoral system all together in order to have genuine elections.

Reforms Vs elections
The other group of TDA summit members, including Gen Muntu, say talking about reforms during the campaign time will confuse voters and give President Museveni an advantage. They believe Mr Museveni is vulnerable enough to be overwhelmed even if the election is not free and fair.

It remained unclear by press time who the Opposition joint candidate would be, if any was to be named by end of day. But there were indications that naming any other flag bearer apart from Dr Besigye would spark a riot within the FDC rank and file.

"People have been calling me from all over the country asking about the nonsense in the media that Mr Mbabazi is our candidate," Rukiga County MP Jack Sabiiti said, "Mr Mbabazi is an NRM candidate and we are Opposition."

Solution
To resolve the impasse since Mr Mbabazi did not seem destined to stand down for Dr Besigye, Aruu County MP Otto said TDA could name both Dr Besigye and Mr Mbabazi as presidential candidates. The TDA protocol provides for one joint candidate but the summit has powers to amend it to accommodate new positions and different interests.

Worried. FDC was rattled by the possibility of their flag bearer, Dr Besigye, being kicked out of the presidential race in favour of Mr Amama Mbabazi

Woes in FDC
Whereas FDC leaders have held several meetings with Dr Besigye to harmonise positions, sources said, the differences have persisted. Yesterday morning, FDC leaders met one more time before going into the TDA summit meeting.

emukiibi@ug.nationmedia.com

Besigye - Mbabazi race sparks revolt in FDC - Elections

http://www.monitor.co.ug/SpecialReports/Elections/Besigye---Mbabazi-race-sparks-revolt-in-FDC/-/859108/2876292/-/vvgomkz/-/index.html

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