ANT’s Alaso pleads for FDC support in Serere by-election

Serere, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Serere County MP aspirant, Alice Alaso has called on the Forum for Democratic Change-FDC party to join hands in securing victory for the opposition in the Serere by-election.

Alaso made the appeal during a press briefing on Wednesday ahead of the nomination of candidates for the Serere County by-election scheduled for Thursday and Friday this week.

Alaso, a former FDC diehard and woman Member of Parliament for Serere and Soroti districts joined the Alliance for National Transformation-ANT where she holds key positions.

She fell out with the party following the 2017 FDC party presidential elections where Patrick Oboi Amuriat was elected president of the party. In 2021 general elections, Alaso unsuccessfully competed for the Serere Woman MP seat under the ANT ticket. She lost the seat in 2016 to Hellen Adoa Abeku, now the Minister of State for Fisheries.

Alaso told the journalists in Soroti that the Serere by-election is not about building the parties but taking a strategic position for the opposition.

She has also appealed to the NRM members and other people in the constituency to support her candidature. She said that her candidature is based on distinctive representation, unity and human rights defense.

While announcing the candidate for Serere County by-election in Kampala, Patrick Amuriat Oboi, the FDC party president said that they would not back Alaso because ANT members left FDC under irreconcilable differences.

The FDC has presented Emmanuel Eratu, the former Independent candidate in the Serere County MP election. Eratu came fourth in the race with 1,035 votes in 2021 general elections beating the then FDC candidate, Joshua Eyaru who got only 945 votes while NUP’s Mukhalu Richard Okodel came last with 335 votes.

Paul Omer, FDC’s mobilizer in Teso when contacted over Alaso’s pleas also noted that they would not back a person who betrayed the party.

Alaso is the only woman who has expressed interest in Serere County by- election. She has been backed by the largest opposition group in the country, the National Unity Platform-NUP. Both NUP and the FDC have abandoned their candidates in the 2021 general elections.

Serere County MP seat fell vacant after the demise of Patrick Okabe who died in a road accident in December. His son, Emmanuel Omoding Okabe is among the people who have expressed interest in replacing the father.

*****

URN