Interview: FDC’s Amuriat speaks out on sacking
By Executive Editor
Traces fall out with Besigye
Says Lukwago and Birigwa are outsiders
Adds: Besigye delegates were mobilized from Kisenyi, Kasokoso
We will continue running the party – Amuriat
Embattled Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) President Patrick Oboi Amuriat has spoken out on his ‘ousting’ by the Katonga faction.
Sitting in Kampala on Tuesday, a section of FDC members threw out Amuriat, Nandala Mafabi (Secretary General), and Geoffrey Ekanya (Treasurer). They were replaced by Erias Lukwago, Harold Kaija, and Francis Mwijukye, respectively.
Tracing the fallout in an interview with Urban TV on Wednesday morning, Amuriat said: I believe the chaos emanated from Dr. Besigye running a self-preservation business.There was a need for them to build a coalition with NUP, and this is the reason he didn’t support my campaign.
According to Amuriat, “the group in Katonga doesn’t mean well for the party.
“I went to protest in Katonga six weeks ago about how young people were recruited to spew falsehoods in the countryside. He (Dr. Besigye) prophesied to me that the FDC was headed for death. I can assure you that next year we will be discussing a stronger FDC that doesn’t bend to the wills of some people,” said Amuriat.
He added: What we have been struggling with in the party for the past 3 years is the constant struggle for power and influence.
“Some people are doing it for selfish gains. We took a stand and are not going to tolerate it.”
Amuriat says that “the moment I came into power in the FDC, some people in Katonga thought I would bend to their interests and also thought I was keeping the position for someone when I refused. This was the start of chaos in the party.”
Lukwago, Birigwa, the problem
Amuriat says that two of the biggest mistakes FDC made were Birigwa and Lukwago.
“Birigwa came from the NRM and cannot treat the issues in the FDC with the utmost concern they deserve, which is why he is casual about it all,” he said.
His ousting
Reacting to his ‘sacking’ Amuriat said, “You think the 200 cheerleaders mobilized from Kisenyi and Kasokoso are the leaders?
“We have grass-roots leaders. These leaders will be the ones to vote for their new leadership,” he said, adding that “basically, when any person wants to be the leader of the party, they need to contest and be voted on, not through a chaotic process.”
“The sooner our friends realize this, the better it will be for them; otherwise, we will still continue to run the party,” he added.
He says that the Besigye faction has broken the FDC.
“We are past the phase of dialogue. A person (Erias Lukwago) who is supposed to know the law should’ve known that they were operating illegally. What you’re seeing was orchestrated by Birigwa, and I am glad it didn’t go as they planned,” he said. “I stopped taking people at face value. I am wondering how Dr. Besigye got the information he claims he got from the state house. What is his relationship with the state house?”
Amuriat says that “this dirty money accusation was a weapon to kill the party.”
“It has become a song that everyone cannot believe. There was an investigation into the matter, and it turned out we were innocent,” he added.
