Dp rules out FDC alliance
Jul 06, 2008
The Democratic Party (DP) has ruled out an alliance with FDC or any other opposition political party in the 2011 elections.
By Eddie Ssejjoba
The Democratic Party (DP) has ruled out an alliance with FDC or any other opposition political party in the 2011 elections.
Party president Ssebaana Kizito said FDC’s decision to field a candidate in the Lubaga division by-election against theirs was a testimony that they were not willing to work with them.
“We shall not allow FDC to take Lubaga from us. We don’t have any plans to work with them,†Ssebaana said.
He was speaking on Saturday at a party of the Uganda Young Democrats (UYD) at the home of their vice-president, Fred Mukasa Mbidde, in Makindye, Kampala.
The youth had asked the DP president and other party leaders not to entertain any talks for an opposition coalition or alliance, arguing that it was a trick to ‘eat up’ their party.
“We hear rumours that DP wants to make an alliance again with FDC. We can’t accept this. Besigye can’t lead Uganda after making three attempts to get into power including his bush struggles,†Mbidde said.
He condemned Besigye for fighting and fielding candidates against DP supporters, citing the recent Kalungu East by-elections, where the FDC leader openly campaigned against him.
Others supported him, echoing that any political party that wanted an alliance should instead join them.
“We supported FDC in the previous election but they turned around and wanted to eat up our party. We need political power in 2011 and we must not make any alliance with any party,†noted Denis Majwala, the chairman of UYD Masaka.
In reponse, Ssebaana said the young democrats were a strong pressure group that could not fail to produce a leader who could take over from the old guard.
“We are soon leaving the stage and I ask you to prepare brilliant and strong leaders to take over from us. We shall call a delegates’ conference in November and you must come prepared.â€
Mbidde assured Ssebaana that UYD would be able to run the party and lead it into power if they were given a chance.
The members present said they wanted Gulu LC5 chairman Nobert Mao to be their party flag- bearer in the elections.
Both the pro-Ssebaana and the pro-Ssebaggala (Kampala mayor) factions attended the party, but it took several appeals to cool tempers as each faction had started attacking each other.
The mayor’s faction, including Mbidde, warned against locking Ssebaggala out of the party activities on grounds that he stood on an independent ticket during the last elections.
Some also rejected an alliance with the break-away group of the Social Democratic Party, led by Makindye East MP Mike Mabikke, likening him to the Biblical Israelites who abandoned God and instead worshipped small gods.
“While I do not support members who breakaway and form other parties after failure to agree on some principles, we should not outcast our colleagues who struggled with us during hard times,†the UYD national chairman, Kenneth Paul Kakande, said in defence of Ssebaggala and Mabikke. “Let us persuade them to come back.â€
The Democratic Party (DP) has ruled out an alliance with FDC or any other opposition political party in the 2011 elections.
Party president Ssebaana Kizito said FDC’s decision to field a candidate in the Lubaga division by-election against theirs was a testimony that they were not willing to work with them.
“We shall not allow FDC to take Lubaga from us. We don’t have any plans to work with them,†Ssebaana said.
He was speaking on Saturday at a party of the Uganda Young Democrats (UYD) at the home of their vice-president, Fred Mukasa Mbidde, in Makindye, Kampala.
The youth had asked the DP president and other party leaders not to entertain any talks for an opposition coalition or alliance, arguing that it was a trick to ‘eat up’ their party.
“We hear rumours that DP wants to make an alliance again with FDC. We can’t accept this. Besigye can’t lead Uganda after making three attempts to get into power including his bush struggles,†Mbidde said.
He condemned Besigye for fighting and fielding candidates against DP supporters, citing the recent Kalungu East by-elections, where the FDC leader openly campaigned against him.
Others supported him, echoing that any political party that wanted an alliance should instead join them.
“We supported FDC in the previous election but they turned around and wanted to eat up our party. We need political power in 2011 and we must not make any alliance with any party,†noted Denis Majwala, the chairman of UYD Masaka.
In reponse, Ssebaana said the young democrats were a strong pressure group that could not fail to produce a leader who could take over from the old guard.
“We are soon leaving the stage and I ask you to prepare brilliant and strong leaders to take over from us. We shall call a delegates’ conference in November and you must come prepared.â€
Mbidde assured Ssebaana that UYD would be able to run the party and lead it into power if they were given a chance.
The members present said they wanted Gulu LC5 chairman Nobert Mao to be their party flag- bearer in the elections.
Both the pro-Ssebaana and the pro-Ssebaggala (Kampala mayor) factions attended the party, but it took several appeals to cool tempers as each faction had started attacking each other.
The mayor’s faction, including Mbidde, warned against locking Ssebaggala out of the party activities on grounds that he stood on an independent ticket during the last elections.
Some also rejected an alliance with the break-away group of the Social Democratic Party, led by Makindye East MP Mike Mabikke, likening him to the Biblical Israelites who abandoned God and instead worshipped small gods.
“While I do not support members who breakaway and form other parties after failure to agree on some principles, we should not outcast our colleagues who struggled with us during hard times,†the UYD national chairman, Kenneth Paul Kakande, said in defence of Ssebaggala and Mabikke. “Let us persuade them to come back.â€