FDC launches reconciliation committee

By Jeff Andrew Lule and Maxine Kampire

Forum for Democracy Change (FDC) party chairman Sam Njuba has inaugurated the reconciliation committee set up to investigate last year’s party presidential elections.

This follows a petition by the leader of opposition in Parliament, Nandala Mafabi’s group disputing the conduct of the election in which Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu was elected FDC president.

Nandala’s group claimed that the exercise was marred by malpractices.

The Nandala group also demanded for the resignation of the party’s secretary general, Alice Alaso and electoral commission chairman, Dan Mugarura.

The group accuses Mugarura of being responsible for the mess, a claim Njuba rejected.

The six-member team which was inaugurated at the FDC headquarters in Najjanankumbi, Kampala on Monday, is to begin work next week.

The team is expected to complete its work in 30 days and report to the National Executive Committee.

The committee is chaired by Ladislaus Rwakafuzi, a human rights lawyer, who will be supported by Peter Sempala (also a lawyer) as the secretary.

Mafabi’s team will be represented on the committee by Elizabeth Abong and Steven Okwalinga (former Police Commissioner) while Nasser Obore Mudi and Atanasius Rutaro will represent Muntu.

Rwakafuzi said: “We are going to begin a week from today and we shall start with the petitions filed by Mafabi and another one by Tororo County MP Geoffrey.” The latter also lost the election. The hearing is to take place at the party headquarters.

Njuba expressed hope that the committee would come up with mechanisms for reconciliation.

“Let us trust this committee. We need the truth to come out. If it is about indiscipline, they can refer it to the disciplinary committee. Otherwise, a person remains innocent until proven guilty,” he said.

He also noted that the committee can recommend that some people step aside if it is the only way to have a truthful hearing.

The committee is to determine whether the malpractices took place or not.

It will also determine whether the rules and regulations as prescribed in the party constitution were breached by the persons named.

The people named are Alaso, Mugarura, Muntu and Anitah Among (deputy finance secretary).