Muntu to serve FDC for five years

By Brian Mayanja

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party has extended Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu’s term of office.

The national council sat on Thursday at the party’s headquarters and cleared Muntu to serve as party president for five years, instead of two, as it was earlier believed.

Muntu’s term of office has been a contentious issue since he took over office in November 2012.

Party spokesperson Wafula Oguttu had earlier said Muntu was elected to complete Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye’s term of office.

Besigye quit the party presidency last year, before the end of his term in 2014.

According to a source that attended the meeting, Wandera Ogalo, the party’s lawyer, put the matter to rest, after interpreting the party constitution.

“He told us Muntu’s term expires in 2017,” a source told Saturday Vision.

The party’s national council had convened to discuss the fate of the National Executive Committee (NEC), one of the key organs of the party, whose term expired in February.

The council directed the party chairman, Sam Njuba, to convene an extraordinary national delegates’ conference within two months.

Njuba reportedly needs sh200m to organise the meeting.

Sources said Njuba was given the mandate to extend NEC’s tenure.

“Some members wanted Muntu to appoint acting NEC members, but the majority rejected this proposal, preferring Njuba to handle the matter,” a source said.

Besigye did not attend the meeting, but sent an apology, saying he had been summoned by the Police to make a statement.