Presidential race: Besigye to be nominated today

By Alfred Wandera

FORMER FDC president Dr Kizza Besigye is to be nominated at midday today to contest for the position of the party's presidential flag bearer in the 2016 polls at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi along Entebbe Road.

The party electoral commission chairman, Dan Mugarura has confirmed to New Vision that it is only Besigye who will be nominated today of the three candidates who have picked nomination forms for the top position.

FDC youth activist, Francis Mwijukye, has said Besigye will be nominated in absentia since he is still out of the country.

"Hon. Geoffrey Ekanya (MP Tororo County and FDC treasurer) will represent him and we shall accompany him," said Mwijukye in a telephone interview.

Besigye's nomination papers were picked recently by one of his agents, Wilberforce Kyambade, in company of new FDC secretary for mobilization, Ingrid Turinawe.

Other party members who have shown interest to fly FDC's presidential flag in the forthcoming general election are the current party president, Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu, and youth activist Moses Byamugisha. Byamugisha has however pulled out of the race because of his age(33) which does not allow to contest for for national president.

Besigye has contested for the presidency three times, and this will be his fourth shot to seek the country's top seat. In the past three attempts, Besigye was trounced by President Yoweri Museveni, his political nemesis.