Birigwa to lead Besigye's campaign team

By Joseph Kizza
true @joekizza


KAMPALA - Ambassador Wasswa Birigwa will lead the national campaign task force for FDC presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye, going into today's (Monday) official start of the campaigns.

Birigwa, who is the FDC national party chairman, heads a team that includes, among others, Salaam Musumba (his deputy), party president Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu and Wafula Oguttu, the leader of opposition in parliament.

While unveiling the team at the party’s headquarters in Najjanankumbi on Sunday, Besigye likened the coming campaign period to “war” that will be of “sacrifice and pain”.

And urging commitment on the part of the campaign team, the opposition leader said there will be time to “celebrate and recover”.

Besigye is in the 2016 presidential race with seven other candidates, including President Yoweri Museveni of the NRM, his main challenger in the previous three contests.
 

From left, Besigye, Muntu and Birigwa on Sunday

And just like in the 2011 race, there are eight contestants who include one female candidate (see all the candidates here). Despite the competition, Besigye has told his team that the main objective is to unseat Museveni.

“Let's not attack other opposition forces. Do not be distracted,” he said on Sunday.

His campaign advisors will be Augustine Ruzindana and Amanya Mushega. Tororo County MP Geoffrey Ekanya will head the field team and will be deputized by Patrick Amuriat and Antanansio Rutaro.

Ekanya chaired Besigye’s campaign team in the race for party flagbearer.

Also on the national campaign task force are Muntu and Oguttu who will lead the candidate team.

When Besigye beat Muntu in the flagbearer race early September, the party president honorably conceded defeat and pledged to support Besigye in his presidential bid.

And true to his word, Muntu was part of the team that escorted Besigye to Mandela National Stadium, Namboole for his nomination on Wednesday, and later to Nakivubo Stadium where he addressed his supporters.

The three-month campaign period will end on February 16, two days before the presidential election (February 18).

According to their itinerary, Besigye and his team will kick off their campaigns in Rukungiri district, western Uganda on Monday.

‘Grind your teeth’
 

Besigye speaks at the unveiling of the campaign task force on Sunday

At Najjanankumbi, the FDC presidential flagbearer made it clear that “the work has begun” and, admitting that theirs has been a difficult journey “through all kinds of corners”, he said they are on the brink of what “we have fought for all these years”.

“This is the time to grind your teeth. We must tighten our belts. Success is within reach. Let’s not drop the pot,” he said.

“Our task today is to give the charge to those who will guide the struggle in the next phase. Setting up a campaign team isn't easy. It remains a work in progress. What we announce today isn't the end of what the team will be.

“As the wheels turn, others will join us. We are building a team of One Uganda. To those still on the outside, the door is open.”

The opposition stalwart, who has run for president in 2001, 2006 and 2011 and lost on all the three occasions to Museveni, said the party’s task force has a technical and a political team.

The political team has the task of “delivering our message” as well as “organizing people in a fashion to ensure no obstacle remains in our way”.

And just like he said at a press conference at Namboole moments after he was nominated, Besigye said his campaign is that of “defiance” – a campaign “for people to regain their power”.

“This is no ordinary campaign,” he reiterated.
 

Birigwa (left) and Besigye at a TDA press conference earlier in September

Besides Oguttu and Muntu, the candidate team will also have Yusuf Nsibambi, Patrick Baguma, Joyce Ssebugwawo, Nandala Mafabi, John Kazoora, Kevina Taaka, Cecilia Ogwal, Nabilah Nagayi and Ingrid Turinawe.

Chaapa Karuhanga has been named as the chief campaign monitor.

On the Candidates Special Mobilisation team is Erias Lukwago (head), Gen David Sejusa, Ken Lukyamuzi, Kasibante Moses, Shifrah Lukwago.

The regional teams will be headed by Reagan Okumu (north), Okello-Okello JP (Lango), Kaps Fungaro (West Nile) Nandala Mafabi (eastern), Paul Mwiru (Busoga), Jack Wamanga Wamai (Bugisu), Jack Sabiiti (Western) and Joyce Sebugwawo (Buganda).