FDC approves sh15b budget for party activities

The main Opposition party, Forum for Democratic Change, (FDC) has approved a sh15b secretariat budget for July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018 period.

This was at its 10th National Council meeting held at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi Saturday to take stock of its achievements over the years, weaknesses and what it needed to do in the future.

The two-day meeting that started on Friday is the first that the council members have held since the 2016 presidential elections whose results they rejected and described the electoral process as a "sham".

FDC secretary general, Nandala Mafabi (Budadiri West MP), told members that a big chunk of the money (sh5.9b) will go to workshops and training leaders.

He said sh2.1b will be used to popularize the party and sh310m for the party's delegates conference in November this year that will approve all the resolutions passed by the meeting.

Mafabi added that they expect the funds to come from FDC MPs (sh15, 300,000m) per month for 12 months (total sh183.6m), party capacity building contribution by electoral commission (sh1.135b), sale of party cards and publicity materials (sh1b), development partners (sh400m) and intensive fundraising (sh12.3b).

"A party is not just a box or a book. A party consists of members, so members are the owners of the party and for it to be able to succeed, members must be there to make it succeed. They must recruit, run the party physically and where it involves money, they must contribute," Mafabi said.

He also informed the meeting that they had discovered people had been forging their party cards and promised to investigate the matter.

"But as we investigate that, we have decided that all cards now with the former party secretary general Alice Alaso's signature on are null and void. Nobody should take them as cards now. We are now issuing cards with my own signature in ink, not photocopy," he said.

Besigye hails leadership

The party's former Presidential flag bearer, Dr Kizza Besigye, thanked their leadership for having continued to steer the party as a party of hope for Uganda up to date.

"Because I clearly have no doubt that wherever you go in Uganda this is the party that gives our people hope in the country and part of that hope is indeed the level of organization that is in FDC where you will find party organs functioning as they should, that you have representatives here from every district who are real representatives of the district," Besigye said. 

He added: "I think in FDC there is no doubt that our leaders are physically there on the ground in our districts, constituencies and when we meet the country meets. It is something to be celebrated that we have built a truly national organisation."

Muntu implores members

The party president, Mugisha Muntu asked members present to go to the grassroots and work day and night to build the party.

"Whatever challenges we meet, there is no challenges under the sun that cannot be sorted out. That is why we need transparent internal processes. Let's concentrate on the issue of conflict prevention, conflict management. It is a very critical thing. We will get in power but then that is where the main challenge starts," he said.

Muntu argued that President Yoweri Museveni will leave behind many challenges when he is voted out of power.

"With all the challenges Museveni is going to leave behind which are immense, we really need to prepare ourselves for that eventuality as a party. We will not escape that challenge. It is the challenge all other regimes have met. It is only us who will be able to make history if we make a break from all that and chart a new direction where a group of people is able to take power and not be sucked in by the temptations of power and manage it well in the interests of the populations," Muntu said.