FDC denies Besigye quit for Mbabazi

By John Semakula

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has denied reports that the party flag bearer, Kizza Besigye has reached an agreement with the Go Forward Presidential Aspirant, Amama Mbabazi to step down for him.

In a statement released on Friday, FDC indicated that there was nothing so far in their engagement where Besigye has accepted to give way for Mbabazi.

The authors of the story had indicated that Besigye had quit the presidential race in favour of Mbabazi and that he had settled for the post of the executive premier in the government of national unity.

According to the FDC statement, “The two only agreed on the principle of collaboration and power-sharing before returning to Uganda to continue with the discussion.”

The FDC statement noted that no decision was made regarding who becomes what.

But by Friday both camps had confirmed that they had appointed teams to continue with the talks.

Besigye also posted on his Facebook account on Friday denying the development.

He said, “I am shocked by the news that ran yesterday about power sharing agreement between FDC and Go Forward. The authors should have checked with us.”

The authors of the story had also indicated that as the executive prime minister, Besigye would retain the powers to appoint the cabinet ministers.

The story had also indicated that although Besigye was the most popular opposition candidate, the mediators had endorsed Mbabazi because he could easily lure disgruntled NRM supporters to the opposition.

Mbabazi is a former secretary general of NRM who also served as the country’s premier for about three years before he was dropped by President Yoweri Museveni.

Mbabazi and Besigye talks in London were mediated by the former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and a chain of other international diplomats including former ICC prosecutor, Gabriel Moreno Ocampo.

Saturday Vision has also learnt that FDC is hesitant to allow Mbabazi to lead the coalition now before his popularity is tested and gauged by voters in the first phase of the presidential elections.

Besigye’s aide Moses Byamugisha also told Saturday Vision that the nominations of his boss will go on as planned on November 4 and that any form of cooperation between the two Presidential aspirants will happen after the first phase of elections.

Meanwhile TDA officials were meant to hold a Press conference yesterday (Friday) to further explain the progress in the talks between Mbabazi and Besigye.

Those who disagree with the idea of fronting a joint Opposition Presidential candidate now argue that to defeat the incumbent, President Museveni, he must be overstretched by more than one prominent Opposition candidate in the race.

Related to the story

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TDA-Go Forward alliance holds first general meeting

TDA: Why joint presidential candidate failed