FDC willing to join opposition coalition

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) will consider joining any opposition coalition or alliances after choosing their presidential and other flag bearers through their internal party elections.

FDC's deputy spokesperson, John Kikonyogo made the remarks, while addressing journalists at the party's weekly press briefing at Najjanankumbi in Kampala on Monday.

Kikonyogo said the party is considering joining other change agents to field joint candidates for the coming elections at an appropriate time.

"FDC is ready to work with any forces of change for a coalition in the next election. But we cannot enter into this discussion until we have got a presidential candidate," Kikonyogo said.

Kikonyogo said FDC will not be ambushed into negotiations for joint opposition on any one's terms, but will do so through engagement with one another in candid discussion.

"We shall not join someone by ‘them telling us to step down'. We must agree with someone through discussion," he stressed.

He revealed that the party is already consulting Ugandans to understand the type of coalition they want to avoid leaders imposing on them an arrangement that is not in their interests like in the past elections.

"We are doing all this to avoid a repeat of what happened during The Democratic Alliance (TDA). In TDA, a few leaders, some selfish, wanted to decide for the people. And we cannot allow this to happen again,'' Kikonyogo added.

TDA was a loose opposition coalition that aimed at fronting a single joit candidate to stand against President Yoweri Museveni during the 2016 elections.

The alliance brought together;  Amama Mbabazi of (Go Forward pressure group), Norbert Mao (Democratic Party), Beti Kamya (Uganda Federal Alliance), Dr. Kizza Besigye (FDC), and former vice president, Gilbert  Bukenya.

FDC later pulled out of this alliance citing irregularities. Dr. Kizza Besigye, the party presidential candidate, then contested for the presidency on the FDC ticket.

Kikonyogo bragged that pulling out of TDA is one of the wisest decisions the party has made in the recent past, wondering where the FDC would be by now had they not withdrawn from the alliance.

"You all know the other principals of TDA, except Mao, are now working in the NRM. Where would FDC be had we stayed in this alliance.  I think we would be in hell politically," he said.

Commenting on NRM declaration of president Museveni as sole candidate and flagbearer for the 2021 election, Kikonyogo said that they (NRM) have a right to front their candidate as long as it is done in a democratic manner.

Kikonyogo implored all Ugandans to use their vote wisely in 2021 to change the current government and state of affairs in the country.