FDC pulls out of Gogonyo County by-election, backs NUP

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) on Wednesday, August 3, 2022 said the party had thrown its weight behind the National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate Joseph Okoboi Opolot who is vying to become the Gogonyo County Member of Parliament. 

This follows a decision of the Court of Appeal on June 6, 2022 that threw out Gogonyo County Member of Parliament Derrick Orone over election malpractice following a petition by Issa Taligola. 

Several candidates have since been nominated by the Electrical commission and the elections are due to take place on August 11, 2022.  

In a statement, FDC said, “we wish to thank the NUP for the support and solidarity exhibited in the Just concluded by-election of Soroti East, which we strongly state that we won massively. Therefore, following the collaboration between us and the NUP, we have deliberately withdrawn our candidate to offer support to Opolot.” 

Some of the candidates who have been nominated include Taligola, Orone and Opolot. 

 On July 26, 2022 NUP former presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu together with Dr. Kizza Besigye former FDC Presidential candidate campaigned for the FDC candidate Moses Attan for the Soroti East Constituency by-election. 

National Resistance Movement candidate Herbert Edmund Ariko won the heated race. While campaigning, Kyagulanyi said, “sacrifice is a part of unity. The first thing we need to sacrifice is our egos. There was no need for NUP to have a candidate in Soroti because we are a people power, meaning we listen to the voice of the people.” 

Last month, Makerere University Council was prompted to terminate the Guild election process following the violent clashes between NUP and FDC supporters that led to death of a Uganda Christian University Student.