We've never undermined Amuriat's leadership, says Muntu

The former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) president Maj. Gen. (rtd) Mugisha Muntu has said his ongoing political consultations are not undermining Patrick Amuriat's leadership or sabotaging the party's agenda.

Muntu, who started his countrywide consultations a month after suffering his fourth electoral defeat in FDC to Amuriat last November said in a tweet on Tuesday that the consultations had been open to the media.

"At no instance have our discussions sought to undermine the current party leadership or sabotage its agenda. In fact, we have focused mainly on how best to resolve the party differences," he said.

He said the results of the consultations will be shared with the party leadership and the public very soon.

"This consultative process has been ongoing since January and while we would have desired to have it concluded in a few weeks, resources and other practical considerations have dictated otherwise. The good news is that we have covered almost all the sub-regions now and will be concluding very soon," he said.

Official Statement#CountryBeforeSelf pic.twitter.com/MrNymfEmEi

— Mugisha Muntu (@mugishamuntu) August 9, 2018

Muntu recognised that not everyone will agree with the steps they have taken.

"I respect that. While I am open and eager to engage in constructive debate about what is required to take the party and our country forward, I am unwilling to engage in the name calling, grandstanding and character assassination that appears to have gripped political actors since these [FDC] changes were announced by the party leadership," he said.

He stressed: "It is this kind of petty politicking that has for long held us back from our full potential both as a country and party. The way forward is not more of the same."

Third-force

However, within FDC, his current consultations are understood to be part of a scheme to start the so called third-force, in effect, a breakaway.

His associates believe such a move could attract middle-of-the- road NRM members, and moderate anti- Museveni elements and it could create a winning combination.

But Muntu told Saturday Vision last week that "the only time when there could be a separation is if we are unable to harmonise the operations of the two strategies around which the two tendencies in the party are built."