Members of the People’s Progressive Party have adviced the Forum for Democratic Change Party (FDC) to resolve their internal issues ahead of the coming 2026 polls.
Mr. Sadam Gayira, the acting Chairman of People’s Progressive Party.
In a letter dated August 31,2023, Sadam Gayira the acting PPP chairperson requested FDC president, Patrick Oboi Amuriat to involve respected religious and cultural leaders with no political affiliations to promote unity in the FDC party.
Speaking at the PPP headquarters in Bukoto, Gayira emphasized that unity, reconciliation and cooperation among political parties are essential for the country’s progress.
Over the past two months FDC has been engulfed in counter accusations of dishonesty, poor accountability and disloyalty among it’s top officials.
These originated from claims made by the party’s founder, Dr.Kizza Besigye, accusing the current secretary General, Nathan Nandala Mafabi of introducing questionable funds into the party in 2020, just before the 2021 General Elections.
These allegations, initially disclosed by the party’s spokesperson, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda in July have led to significant divisions with in the party with some members supporting Besigye and others siding with Nandala.
Gayira stressed that regardless of the veracity of these allegations, FDC leadership should forge a solution to maintain party unity. He pointed out that the ruling National Resistance Movement NRM benefits from internal party conflicts especially those in opposition.
Nandala Mafabi the FDC Secretary General (Left) and Patrick Amuriat Oboi the FDC President (Right)
“When opposition parties have internal conflicts that create factions, it becomes challenging for them to unite and form coalitions. He cited the example of the 2016 attempts to establish the Democratic Alliance which occurred when the Democratic party DP was divided between the mainstream DP and the break way Suubi and TJ pressure groups.
These internal disputes within the FDC have disrupted party activities including elections and the delegates conference last month. Many members boycotted them, demanding that the party secretary General clarify the source amount, and purpose of the disputed funds before proceeding with the elections.
Nandala the party president and his supporters went ahead with the elections, while Besigye and followers dismissed them. The extra ordinary delegates conference schedule for September 19, 2023 organized by the party’s National chairman Wassa Birigwa has been affected as the party’s secretary General has denied the former funds to facilitate the meeting arguing that it’s not andl official party event as it was approved without the consent of various party organs.