DP castigates FDC on EALA nomination

The Democratic Party (DP) has castigated the Uganda's leading opposition party, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) for fronting two candidates in the forthcoming East African Legislative Assembly elections.

DP argues that it wasn't right.

Last week FDC went to polls and elected Kaberamaido woman MP Florence Ibi Ekwao as its EALA candidate after flooring the party's secretary for mobilization, Ingrid Turinawe.

Later the party announced that it would front both Turinawe and Ekwao in a letter sent to the Speaker of Parliament.

Other political parties; DP and UPC selected one candidate each. DP selected Fred Mukasa Mbidde whereas UPC nominated Chris Opoka.

According to DP press secretary Fred Mwesigwa, this was done out of selfish interests.

He noted that DP had the capacity to front more than one candidate but had in consideration of other opposition parties decided not to front a second.

"We didn't select only Mbidde because we had few members who could compete, we could have fronted more "said Mwesigwa. He also said DP fronted one candidate to ensure harmony and peaceful existence with other political parties in the country.

"We have now embarked on rigorous campaigning that will see our candidate return to EALA not for the sake of returning but to consolidate the many achievements as a result of his unrivalled performance last term" said Mwesigwa during the party's weekly press briefing at City House in Kampala.

"If FDC has the ability to take all the slots, let it take" he said.

Nobert Mao, the DP president also recently expressed his concern about the nomination of two candidates by FDC saying the move was done in the fear that it (FDC) could lose when legislators chose the final nine representatives.

Mao also argued that FDC should instead negotiate with other parties that had justifiable representation in EALA.

"Mbidde is deemed by FDC as a major threat and indeed he is the strongest opposition" he stated. 

All opposition parties in Uganda will share two slots in the EALA whereas the ruling NRM party will take six slots. The slots are determined by numerical strength of parties in its home Parliament.