Although most of the people who attended the rally urged Dr Kiza Besigye, the former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party president to reconcile with the camp led by Patrick Amuriat, the FDC district leaders in Lango on Friday resolved that he (Besigye) starts a new party. 

Besigye and his team were in Lira on what was termed a mobilisation tour.

Whereas a huge public address system was set up at Lira City at Lango Quran Primary School ground, a sizable crowd turned up at the venue.

Dr Kiza Besigye, the former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party president addressing FDC supporters.

Before the rally, Besigye accompanied by Francis Mwijukye, Salaam Musumba, Dr Okello Ekwaro, and Amb Wasswa Birigwa among others, went to Amac in Lira district to lay a wreath on the grave of Mary Okullu, the former Presidential Advisor.

As the team returned to Lira City to address the people, Besigye was escorted by a handful of about two dozen boda boda cyclists.

Besigye stayed in his vehicle for over 20 minutes before he came out to take his seat.

The pavilion was well set and huge speakers were put in place but in the end, the pavilion was not used. There were schoolchildren, street boys and a few elderly people in place to listen to Besigye.

Supporters air their views

Juspanti Odwar, an elderly woman, and a staunch supporter of Besigye asked him to guide her on who to follow (with the confusion in FDC).

Some of the FDC leaders seated as they wait to address their supporters in Lira City.

Lillian Odari told Besigye not to worry about the debacle he was seeing and assured him that he still had supporters who only needed mobilization.

“Your support is there, elders are there, though the youth are looking for money but for us, the elders are ready to move on even without anything,” she said.

Bony Otyama, the former FDC chairperson who has remained on the side of Besigye noted that FDC lost support in Lango after his name disappeared from the ballot paper in the last two elections.

Birigwa, the National Party Chairman of FDC said they are in Lira to consult whether to continue pursuing the legal path to get back the party, consider reconciliation with Najjanankumbi, join the existing party or form a new party.

Proscovia Salaam Musumba said they built FDC and it stayed in existence for the last 20 years. She compared the party to a vehicle that had got accident before reaching its destination.

“We are asking you, should we repair the vehicle or buy another one,” she asked the sizeable crowd who recommended repairs.

Besigye addressing gathering

He said a big number of people are living in poverty which is getting worse every day.

“Uganda is a country of young people who do not know where they are going. You have heard that even in Lira, there are street children who have nowhere to stay,” he said.

He observed that Uganda needs liberation and Northern Uganda needs it much more urgently than the rest of the country.

Besigye observed that there is a crisis in Uganda because the country does not belong to the people. 

“The country we call Uganda is not our country,” he noted.

The country is captured and works for very few people, according to Besigye.

He called on the people to wake up regain their confidence and liberate their country.