Muntu unopposed as ANT presidential flagbearer

KAMPALA - Gen Mugisha Muntu is poised to be the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) party flag bearer in the 2021 presidential election, after being the only one who showed interest in the position.

Fellow party members have not challenged their founding leader leaving him with all the chances to represent the party and aim his shot towards ending President Museveni's rule.

Speaking to New Vision, Dan Mugarura, the ANT, head of Electoral Affairs, said only Muntu picked nomination.

"We closed receiving of nominations forms with only one candidate.  We are going through the verification of his documents and we shall be nominating the flag bearer on Wednesday," Mugarura said.

This means if Muntu is nominated, he will go through unopposed. However, if Muntu's documents are found wanting, the process will have to be redone according to Mugarura.

On June 26, Muntu resigned his position as the national coordinator of ANT, in order to compete for his party flag bearer ahead of the 2021 presidential election.

His resignation is in line with the party' constitution which requires executive members to resign their official positions in order not to unduly influence the electoral process.

Muntu who launched the party in May last year after leaving the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Party, often indicated that the party is ready for the general elections.

Alice Alaso, the ANT deputy national coordinator in charge of Finance and Administration will be the acting new leader until a final decision is made by the National Delegates Conference in August this year.

According to the ANT electoral roadmap, registration and picking of nomination forms for the party's flag-bearer will take place between June 22 and 25 at the party's headquarters in Kampala.

Verification of nomination qualification documents took place between June 26-29, while nomination for the party presidential flag-bearer is slated for July 1 to 2.

Mugarura said harmonising of the campaign programme by the party's electoral commission and candidates' agents will take place on July 3.

Meanwhile, open campaigns will start on July 6, which will culminate into a presidential debate on July 26.

Accreditation of delegates is slated for August 5, followed by the national interim delegates' conference on August 6.

In September 2018, Muntu and his supporters quit the FDC party to form ANT. His main objective was to build grassroots party structures, encourage more members to run for parliamentary seats and in local elections, as well as working in coalition with like-minded opposition forces.