FDC asks Mao to apologise to Besigye

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has demanded that Democratic Party (DP) President Norbert Mao apologises to Dr. Kizza Besigye for attacks during last week’s DP Block agreement signing event.

DP on Thursday, last week held an event to sign a memorandum of understanding with Peoples Democratic Party (PD) of Dr Abed Bwanika and Social Democratic Party (SDP) of Mike Mabike and officially unveil the DP block as they prepare for 2021 general elections.

The meeting held at Africana Hotel was attended by a number of political figures including, former FDC President Mugisha Muntu who quit the party for a new political party, firebrand Kyadondo East, MP Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine who is the front man of people power group, among others.

But FDC says instead of using the event to sell DP Block to Ugandans, they used it to attack Dr. Kizza Besigye. Bobi Wine accused Besigye of telling Ugandans that elections won’t remove Museveni from presidency without offering an alternative.

“Don’t talk about democracy and stand four times and on the fifth time you tell people democracy doesn’t work. We believe it works. On that point, I will assert that democracy actually works and anybody who despises democracy is despising the people of Uganda,” Bobi Wine said. This message left FDC diehards seething with anger.

When Bwanika’s turn came, he said; “I have heard one person who has now perpetually become a presidential candidate and wants to become one again. I have decided, whether I will remain alone, I will ensure that Ugandans don’t vote that presidential candidate again.”

FDC deputy spokesperson, John Kikonyogo while addressing journalists at party headquarters said the attack was unfortunate. He said that the best that DP can offer to Dr. Kizza Besigye in particular and FDC in general is an apology.

Kikonyogo explained that Dr. Besigye cannot make a decision on behalf of the party. Even if he had attended the DP signing event, there is nothing that he would have done.

But Kikonyogo said FDC welcomes the DP coalition. He argued that if FDC decide to enter coalitions in the coming months, it will be negotiating with blocks rather than individual parties. He said they are consulting supporters at grassroots level on how the party can prepare for 2021.

He gave a chronology of coalitions in Uganda since independence which have not worked. That’s is why, he said FDC is always cautious when it comes to joining coalitions.

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