{UAH} Analysis: Why Besigye deems Muntu unfit to challenge Museveni

On November 24, the strongest opposition political party Forum for Democratic  Change (FDC) again exhibited democracy by electing a new leader, Patrick Oboi Amuriat.

The decision by the FDC delegates (voters) however left political observers and a huge section of the public in wonderment.

Until today some are yet to come to terms that Maj General Mugisha Muntu lost to 'little known' Amuriat who was backed by the party heavyweight Col Kizza Besigye.

Amuriat, a former legislator who lost election in 2016 to a ruling party legislator, openly referred to Besigye as his political mentor at the FDC delegates' conference last Friday.

Amuriat just like his mentor subscribes to extremism as an avenue of fiercely ending 31 years of NRM rule.

The FDC under Col Kizza Besigye until 2012 when he cut his term shot was known for applying majorly one political method- Activism which metamorphosed into Defiance.

After suceeding Besigye in a hotly contested race between him and Hon Nandala Mafabi- then a Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Muntu introduced a new style of institutional building.

Trying to sell his idea, Muntu convinced the party hardliners FDC can only compete with the ruling party if it has visible structures at the grass root level.

But the radical wing maintained that to overthrow a military regime, FDC must be aggressive by taking on the security apparatus.

In fact the FDC youth formed militia groups which would face off and sometimes go physical with security operatives on the streets in bloody city riots.

Muntu's absence as the head of the FDC establishment at the vanguard of these street battles  sparked off criticism among supporters loyal to Besigye that he (Muntu) was undermining their methodology.

After 2 years of his leadership, FDC organised another delegate's conference to choose new National Executive Committee (NEC) leaders.

In his speech as a party president, Muntu reminded members that the party had managed to raise a huge number of voters unlike in 2012.

He went on to say that at least each subcountry in Uganda had been represented by a delegate.

He implored the new NEC committee spearheaded by his rival Mafabi to collaborate with him and embrace grass root mobilisation.

Betrayal

Whereas Muntu managed to convince a few radicals to switch camps like Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemuju Gganda, many rejected his method, used their new positions to undermine party leadership.

With Mafabi as the Secretary General of the party, Muntu became a shadow of his presidency.

Party stalwarts whom we would always interact with on the affairs of the party say, Mafabi embarked on dismantling what Muntu had built in two years and creating base for extremism to resurface.

The radicals began questioning which structures Muntu had built and how they were not visible.

They funded a well orchestrated propaganda in the media on how Muntu had 'killed' the vibrant FDC and how he is fit to run a school not an establishment which seeks to take power in a very obnoxious political environment.

But to prove that Muntu was a democratic leader, he accepted two approaches to be applied in one party even when he had the mandate to suffocate radicalism.

He insisted that all methods at play was key to building internal cohesion, which he failed to implement until he was defeated last week.

As this happened the country was preparing for general elections in 2016, Col Kizza Besigye had previously announced his retirement.

With no doubt, Muntu was poised to hold the FDC flag on the ballot paper.

But Besigye declared his intentions to challenge his long time political adversary President Museveni for the fourth time.

The party was ripped apart by Besigye's declaration with elders questioning his greed for power.

Whereas Besigye has until today never openly revealed why he bounced back from 'retirement' to contest against Muntu for flagbearer in 2015, in this analysis we bring you reasons why he thinks his sucessor is too weak to challenge Museveni.

A leader but not a politician

Besigye, we can reliably report, confided into some of his trusted colleagues the basis of his return to run for President in 2016.

Accordingly, Besigye believes Muntu is a very honest man and loyal to FDC. "Those who question his integrity and continue to refer to him as a mole, Besigye thinks insult the person of Muntu," a close confidant of Besigye told this website.

However, the powerful opposition kingpin is not convinced Muntu is a politician who can fight the dictator in this political atmosphere.

"Besigye said Muntu is very soft and humble. He said he returned because he had learnt of a plan to form a coalition in 2015 under The Democratic Alliance (TDA). This was looking for a joint opposition candidate," added Besigye's close colleague.

To Besigye, Muntu because of his softness would allow candidate Amama Mbabazi to lead TDA which would be the most political blunder, "handing over an institution that we have fought for year to build to someone whom we don't even trust simply because he had broken away from the regime," Besigye is quoted to have said.

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"When a man is stung by a bee, he doesn't set off to destroy all beehives"

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