‘Kategeya led FDC to Mkapa’
May 29, 2006
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has said former deputy premier Eriya Kategaya (right) lied when he said he had never been a party member.
By J. Maseruka and James Odong
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has said former deputy premier Eriya Kategaya (right) lied when he said he had never been a party member.
It also said Kategaya, who also served as internal minister in the central government, would not be missed in the party as his contribution was very minimal.
FDC spokesman Wafula Oguttu yesterday told a weekly press briefing at Najjanankumbi that in 2005, Kategaya led a party delegation to Dar es Salaam that held a two-hour meeting with the then President, Benjamin Mkapa.
The three-man delegation included FDC officials Augustine Ruzindana and Oguttu, whose mission was to promote the party in the region. Wafula said on August 7, 2004, at the launching of FDC at Bonita Hotel in Lubowa on Entebbe Road, Kategaya was a founding member and was appointed envoy.
He said, “Kategaya was issued with an air ticket to South Africa to attend the first FDC NEC meeting with retired Col. Kizza Besigye but he never went.â€
Wafula stated, “Kategaya is therefore telling lies to say he has never belonged to FDC. He should have some little respect for himself.â€
Wafula charged that Kategaya’s recent move to accept a Cabinet post was President Yoweri Museveni’s plan to politically destroy “a man who opposed him because no honourable person will ever respect Kategaya -be it in the NRM or the opposition.â€
Kategaya last Friday told journalists at Parliament that he had never left NRM and that he did not belong to FDC.
He said he had no party card for NRM or FDC.
Oguttu said, “FDC won’t miss Kategaya and he won’t leave a political hole. We wish him well. He is a fairly moderate politician who can strengthen the Government wing.â€
Wafula clarified that Odonga Otto, a former FDC MP on the Appointments Committee, was yet to present a report to the party for resigning from the committee.
He said the party would comment after receiving his reasons and may replace him.
On the new Cabinet, Wafula said it had nothing new to offer since it was dominated by failures and suspects probed on various malpractices.
He said, “If General Salim Saleh is given the Ministry of Defence, it is okay but it is laughable if a man like him is given the finance ministry when he has been involved in many sagas such as the first failed attempt to sell the former Uganda Commercial Bank (UCB) and failed micro-finance projects in Luweero, Divinity in Acholi and the Congo report on the plunder of that country’s wealth.
Oguttu lashed out at Syda Bbumba, the former Minister for Energy, for being what he called a non-performer and for deceiving Ugandans and investors on electricity matters.
He said John Nasasira, the former Minister for Transport, for failing to repair for four years the Jinja/Iganga highway, “a gateway to Uganda besides Entebbeâ€. He said Nasasira instead constructed the Ibanda Road that leads to his home.
Wafula said Museveni would displace everyone in key positions who is not an NRM cadre. He was reacting to claims that all Permanent Secretaries who supported FDC were to be sacked.
Kategaya said the trip was arranged by the Parliamentary Advocacy Forum (PAFO), not FDC.
“FDC was not in existence at the time. The trip was under PAFO,†said Kategaya, adding that he joined the trip at the invitation of his old friend, Augustine Ruzindana (right) and that PAFO was not a political party.
He said it was true he had been issued with an air ticket to travel to South Africa for an FDC meeting, but he turned down the trip. “Why didn’t I go? I returned the ticket to Jack Sabiiti,†he revealed.
On his alleged appointment as FDC envoy, Kategaya said he had rejected the post because he was not consulted about it.
“I told them I was not a small boy to be appointed without being consulted. I asked them, ‘what does envoy mean?’ I never took up the office at all,†Kategaya explained.
Kategaya challenged the FDC to quote his party card number.
An FDC leader, Sam Njuba, said the party had not issued formal membership cards.
According to Njuba, the members were only issued with ‘small registration receipts’ on joining.
He said he could not confirm whether a receipt was issued to Kategaya.
Njuba also said what he recalled was that the trip to Tanzania was arranged by FDC. “At least this is what Ruzindana told me,†Njuba added. He said FDC was formed in August 2004 and the trip took place in 2005.
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has said former deputy premier Eriya Kategaya (right) lied when he said he had never been a party member.
It also said Kategaya, who also served as internal minister in the central government, would not be missed in the party as his contribution was very minimal.
FDC spokesman Wafula Oguttu yesterday told a weekly press briefing at Najjanankumbi that in 2005, Kategaya led a party delegation to Dar es Salaam that held a two-hour meeting with the then President, Benjamin Mkapa.
The three-man delegation included FDC officials Augustine Ruzindana and Oguttu, whose mission was to promote the party in the region. Wafula said on August 7, 2004, at the launching of FDC at Bonita Hotel in Lubowa on Entebbe Road, Kategaya was a founding member and was appointed envoy.
He said, “Kategaya was issued with an air ticket to South Africa to attend the first FDC NEC meeting with retired Col. Kizza Besigye but he never went.â€
Wafula stated, “Kategaya is therefore telling lies to say he has never belonged to FDC. He should have some little respect for himself.â€
Wafula charged that Kategaya’s recent move to accept a Cabinet post was President Yoweri Museveni’s plan to politically destroy “a man who opposed him because no honourable person will ever respect Kategaya -be it in the NRM or the opposition.â€
Kategaya last Friday told journalists at Parliament that he had never left NRM and that he did not belong to FDC.
He said he had no party card for NRM or FDC.
Oguttu said, “FDC won’t miss Kategaya and he won’t leave a political hole. We wish him well. He is a fairly moderate politician who can strengthen the Government wing.â€
Wafula clarified that Odonga Otto, a former FDC MP on the Appointments Committee, was yet to present a report to the party for resigning from the committee.
He said the party would comment after receiving his reasons and may replace him.
On the new Cabinet, Wafula said it had nothing new to offer since it was dominated by failures and suspects probed on various malpractices.
He said, “If General Salim Saleh is given the Ministry of Defence, it is okay but it is laughable if a man like him is given the finance ministry when he has been involved in many sagas such as the first failed attempt to sell the former Uganda Commercial Bank (UCB) and failed micro-finance projects in Luweero, Divinity in Acholi and the Congo report on the plunder of that country’s wealth.
Oguttu lashed out at Syda Bbumba, the former Minister for Energy, for being what he called a non-performer and for deceiving Ugandans and investors on electricity matters.
He said John Nasasira, the former Minister for Transport, for failing to repair for four years the Jinja/Iganga highway, “a gateway to Uganda besides Entebbeâ€. He said Nasasira instead constructed the Ibanda Road that leads to his home.
Wafula said Museveni would displace everyone in key positions who is not an NRM cadre. He was reacting to claims that all Permanent Secretaries who supported FDC were to be sacked.
Kategaya said the trip was arranged by the Parliamentary Advocacy Forum (PAFO), not FDC.
“FDC was not in existence at the time. The trip was under PAFO,†said Kategaya, adding that he joined the trip at the invitation of his old friend, Augustine Ruzindana (right) and that PAFO was not a political party.
He said it was true he had been issued with an air ticket to travel to South Africa for an FDC meeting, but he turned down the trip. “Why didn’t I go? I returned the ticket to Jack Sabiiti,†he revealed.
On his alleged appointment as FDC envoy, Kategaya said he had rejected the post because he was not consulted about it.
“I told them I was not a small boy to be appointed without being consulted. I asked them, ‘what does envoy mean?’ I never took up the office at all,†Kategaya explained.
Kategaya challenged the FDC to quote his party card number.
An FDC leader, Sam Njuba, said the party had not issued formal membership cards.
According to Njuba, the members were only issued with ‘small registration receipts’ on joining.
He said he could not confirm whether a receipt was issued to Kategaya.
Njuba also said what he recalled was that the trip to Tanzania was arranged by FDC. “At least this is what Ruzindana told me,†Njuba added. He said FDC was formed in August 2004 and the trip took place in 2005.