{UAH} Pojim/WBK: Besigye reforms talk leaves FDC confused

http://www.observer.ug/news-headlines/39752-besigye-reforms-talk-leaves-fdc-confused

Besigye reforms talk leaves FDC confused

Written by Edris Kiggundu

Last Updated: 09 September 2015

FDC flag-bearer Kizza Besigye

On Monday during the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) national executive committee meeting, Dr Kizza-Besigye amplified his message about his preference for electoral reforms before next year's general election, causing more confusion within the party.

Addressing NEC for the first time since he was elected party presidential flag bearer on September 2, Besigye insisted that his position should not be equated to calling for a boycott; but rather, the opposition should press to have a level playing field ahead of the 2016 elections.

"Unless we put our foot down, it will be a ritual that reforms are debated when elections are on the doors and they [government] claim that there is no time to put in place reforms," Besigye said at Najjanankumbi.

He proposed four ways in which FDC and the opposition in general, can approach the 2016 elections. First, he said, preparations for the elections must continue; secondly, the opposition must make a statement to the country as to how they shall manage the citizen compact, the document that contains their proposed electoral reforms.

Thirdly, Besigye told the meeting, the opposition ought to point out to the people that there ought to be free and fair elections and lastly, he said, the people can be rallied to demand for reforms before the elections.

"We would rather delay elections and have reforms. Our demand must recognize the complete lack of interest in the matter on the side of government," Besigye said.

Besigye's lack of clarity on the participation in the 2016 elections has elicited mixed reactions from the public. Some members of the NRM equated Besigye's election as FDC flag bearer to choosing boycott over participation in next year's elections. In the FDC NEC meeting, one member who attended the meeting told The Observer yesterday that Besigye was vague on how the opposition should move forward.

"He says he is committed to elections then he says they should not be held unless there are reforms," said the member, an MP.

Another member who attended the meeting, however, said Besigye was as clear as he could possibly be.

"They asked him if he was calling for an election boycott, he said no. But he insisted we must have reforms," said the member.

Muntu, we have been told, insisted that the party must go ahead and organise for elections with or without reforms. A number of opposition figures have opposed veiled calls for a boycott of the 2016 election with or without reforms.

On Monday, DP President General Norbert Mao told journalists, that The Democratic Alliance (TDA), a loose coalition of opposition parties and civil society groups, was formed as an electoral coalition.

"You must first play the game and you win it. You can't shoot a target you have not aimed at," Mao said.

Similarly last week, former vice president Gilbert Bukenya insisted that the opposition must participate in the coming elections. But Besigye told the meeting that even TDA had not been clear about the reforms Vs the election debate.

He said: "[Under] article 18 of the Citizen Compact, signatories became guarantees where they accepted to use their structures, resources and power to see that we implement these reforms. Before the above could be achieved, the coordinating team came up with the TDA to prepare for elections."

Without consensus on the matter, the members agreed that another meeting be held today (Wednesday) to make a decision. On Monday, we have been told, Besigye spent more time emphasizing the unfair political environment under which the opposition parties operate. Without the environment being changed, he said, the opposition cannot take power.

He said: "My presentation is also based on my experience as a candidate both before FDC was formed and when it was formed. Those experiences have been very traumatic. You remember as your flag bearer in 2006, you nominated me while in jail. My supporters were killed in front of me at Bulange.

During my campaign I visited one of the victims of Bulange who is confined to a wheelchair in Kamwenge. One Lt Col Ndahura who killed our supporters in 2001 in Rukungiri, today, he has been appointed by Gen [Kale] Kayihura as head of the Crime Intelligence Directorate in police. During campaigns, all senior officers in the army go to their home areas to intimidate the masses."

Besigye said that he had evidence that in 2011, Shs 2 trillion was used by the NRM to buy elections hence leading to the post-election inflation. For the coming campaigns, he warned, the situation could get worse.

"The other day Mr Museveni donated Shs 1.5bn to churches in Mbarara. We have an environment which is tilted against us. Currently the management of elections is in the hands of candidate Museveni. EC will do whatever is possible to please their boss. Going to this process the way it is under this system is simply legitimizing Mr Museveni even before the election," he said.

In a lengthy presentation, Besigye told the gathering to prepare for a violent campaign citing the training of crime preventers by the police and a militia group under Maj Roland Kakooza Mutale. 
ekiggundu@observer.ug

Besigye reforms talk leaves FDC confused

http://www.observer.ug/news-headlines/39752-besigye-reforms-talk-leaves-fdc-confused

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