FDC divided over Leader of Opposition in Parliament
May 25, 2016
According to a source that attended National Executive Meeting (NEC) on Monday, members were sharply divided. The meeting ended late but no consensus was reached.
The main opposition party, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) is divided over the appointment of a Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LOP).
According to a source that attended National Executive Meeting (NEC) on Tuesday, members were sharply divided. The meeting ended late but no consensus was reached.
Parliament Speaker Rebecca Kadaga has directed all parties to submit names of their leaders in parliament by May 25, 2016.
"Members are still divided on the matter. Many think we should name the prime minister not Leader of Opposition since our candidate Besigye ‘won' the presidential election," Buhweju County MP Francis Mwijukye said.
A group of FDC activists on Monday stormed the party headquarters at Najjanankumbi protesting the plan to appoint a LOP.
The invasion of the activists carrying placards warning the party president Mugisha Muntu against appointing the LOP disrupted the party's National Executive Committee meeting which was going on regarding the matter.
It took the intervention of the party Secretary General Nandala Mafabi and secretary for mobilization Ingrid Turinawe to calm them.
While addressing the party's press conference on whether the party would appoint a LOP, FDC spokesperson Ibrahim Nganda said, "The ruling party in the US has minority seats in parliament and its leader is called the leader of the minority. So, no matter what title we shall call that person, FDC will have a leader in parliament."
Sources however reveal that most FDC legislators are supportive to the idea of having a LOP.
Talking to New Vision, Soroti woman MP Angelina Osege said, "Many of us are of the view that the next Leader of Opposition should be a woman. This is the right time. I hear many suggesting Winnie Kiiza but I am also available."
The other person reportedly suggested by many FDC leaders to be the next Leader of Opposition is Dokolo woman MP Cecelia Ogwal.
Asked whether she had bribed FDC leaders to have many of them wishing her to be the next LOP, Cecelia Ogwal responded with laughter and said, "Anyone who knows me is aware I cannot give a bribe. I think people appreciate my contributions. As president Museveni said recently, I spearheaded the fight for the return of multiparty democracy in the country. Arrests did not deter me. I mobilized people to work on CA both on multiparty democracy and on federalism."