PFF honours Besigye as founding leaders named
Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate, was honoured as the chief guest by placing his black-and-white portrait on an empty seat in the front row that was reserved for him.
Amb. Wasswa Birigwa and Kampala Lord Mayor and also the national party chairperson, Erias Lukwago with Dr Kizza Besigye's portrait at Katonga offices. (Photos by Isaac Nuwagaba)
By Umaru Kashaka
Journalists @New Vision
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The newly formed People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) party has honoured its jailed kingpin, Dr Kizza Besigye, at its first national convention in Kampala that saw founding leaders unveiled.
The conference was held on Tuesday (July 8) at the party’s headquarters on Katonga Road, formerly Besigye’s private office.
Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate, was honoured as the chief guest by placing his black-and-white portrait on an empty seat in the front row that was reserved for him.
Banners calling for the release of Besigye and his long-time friend, Hajji Obeid Lutale, were on display hashtagged #GRANT BAIL.
The two were arrested in Kenyan capital Nairobi on November 16 last year, where they had reportedly gone to attend an event organised by Kenya’s opposition politician Martha Karua.
They were subsequently brought home and charged with several firearms and security offences at the General Court Martial, which later remanded them to Luzira Prison.
ANT party president Maj Gen (rtd) Mugisha Muntu and the Buikwe South MP Dr. Michael Bayigga Lulume attending PFF's first national convention.
In April, they both filed a fresh application before the High Court in Kampala, seeking release on bail pending trial for treason charges.
The party appointed Besigye, 69, the chairman of its council of eminent persons.
New leaders named
By the time of writing this story, Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago had been named as national party chairperson, with four deputies including former Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Betty Aol and former Democratic Party Buikwe South MP, Dr. Lulume Bayigga.
Kira Municipality MP, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda was named as secretary general.
The Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) party officials led by their leader, Gen Mugisha Muntu, and the president of the Conservative Party, John Ken Lukyamuzi, attended the convention, among others.