FDC presidential candidates warned against breaching rules

OPPOSITION| FDC CAMPAIGNS

Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party presidential candidates have been cautioned and warned of disciplinary measures  should they breach campaign rules.

Activities are in high gear to pick the next party president, as incumbent Gen. Mugisha Muntu's term of office ends in November.

The five candidates are Gen. Mugisha Muntu, former Kumi MP Patrick Amuriat, Kawempe South legislator Mubarak Muyangwa, former aide to Dr. Col.Kiiza Besigye Moses Byamugisha, and Malcon Matsiko.

"All candidates consented to the campaign rules and guidelines, but somehave breached the key principles," Hussein Lubega, one of the three party electoral commissioners, said.

Lubega said the culprits have used abusive language, twice missed joint candidates press conferences at the party headquarters at Najanankumbi, among other offences.

He said that abusive language compromised the unity of the party and could not be allowed to go unchecked.

Lubega said every candidate is required to address 22 rallies to survive disqualification from the race before the delegates conference in November.

Muntu and Amuriat are the candidates who have so far addressed the most rallies at seven each. Byamugisha and Munyagwa have addressed only one rally each in Ibanda and Iganga, respectively.

Muntu has had rallies in Lango, Soroti, Sebei, Bunyoro, Rwenzori, Teso and Ankole, while Amuriat covered Busoga, Bugisu, greater Masaka, Ankole, Kigezi, among others.

In a telephone interview with the New Vision, Masiko ruled out claims by the party's electoral commission that he had never addressed any rally.

He said he had addressed two rallies in Katakwi and Kitgum and was just interrupted by a trip abroad to convince the Ugandan youth abroad to support the purpose of regime change by the FDC.

"Those claims of disrespectful language among candidates are falsely being propagated by individuals who want to deviate party members from core issues," he said.

Byamugisha said rallies were not a mandatory requirement of the exercise and that it presented a heavy financial burden on the candidates.

I have however convened several consultative meetings in the districts of Kyotera, Rakai, Kisoro, Rubanda Kabale, Rukungiri, Rubirizi, Lyantonde, Pakwach and Paliisa.

The party's acting president, Alice Alaso, said their campaigns had faced challenges that are not unique to the party and the country.

"We have had several internal meetings to ensure that we harmonised and that our electoral commission is independent of any influence and should enforce guidelines as they are,"she said.