Gen. Muntu exits FDC

The former president of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Gen. Mugisha Muntu, has finally announced his exit from the party he led for five years.

 Muntu's statement released on Tuesday evening

Addressing supporters in Gulu earlier this year, Muntu had said he would not hesitate to leave the party if the internal conflicts are not solved.

Gen. Muntu said the internal conflicts, which have raged on over the years need to first be settled to allow the smooth running of the party that is in line with its values.

"For the five years I was in office, my focus was on developing the party, but with a lot of in-fights which paralyzed me," Gen. Muntu told FDC and other party members who turned up for his consultation in Gulu municipality on Wednesday.

Mugisha Muntu was defeated in the hotly contested FDC presidential elections held in 2017.

When Muntu was tasked to explain his motive for conducting the consultations, he noted that the recommendations and other issues generated shall form his engagement with the current party leaders on how they should manage the inner fights.

"If these fights are not solved, I will not be part of the crisis in the party," he also added that; "I will join another formation that has my values."

The former president who handed over power to Patrick Oboi Amuriat, the new party president, said both styles of defiance and party building can be carried on concurrently only if the national party members and at lower levels understand how they should be implemented.

The General observed that it's had to operate in an environment where a section of members are fighting to paralyze a leader for the sake of their interest.

He, however, ruled out any possibility of forming own party as some people speculate, adding that if that was the case, he would have done it as soon as he handed over office.

"In November last year when I handed over power, there were a lot of anger and frustrations inside me and that is time I would have taken my own direction," he added.

Later on Tuesday evening, Mugisha Muntu said the statement was premature and carelessly released. He apologised to the FDC president Patrick Amuriat.

He, however, a few hours later, released a full statement explaining his exit from the party.

 The rift between FDC president Amuriat and his predecessor Mugisha Muntu worried party supporters and observers as well, with some wondering whether it was not going to break the party apart.

While some FDC supporters were worried about the break up of the party, some were anxiously waiting for Mugisha Muntu's exit.

In the recent months, Muntu has made clear he was following his conscience not the party lines. For example, while FDC had a candidate in the recently held Arua municipality byelections, he openly supported Kassiano Wadri, who was an independent candidate.

In the Kassiano Wadri (who won the elections) camp, Muntu closely worked with Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine. It was no wonder that when Bobi Wine wanted sureties for his treason case, Muntu was at hand.

Political analysts are already wondering if Mugisha Muntu is not allying with Bobi Wine for a third political force. Whether this is the next step for Muntu or not, will be a matter of time and the country will know.