FDC turmoil: Latigo, Kamya speak out

Prof. Morris Ogenga Latigo, a senior member of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has blamed the current party leadership for the mess in the party, which has seen several senior party members quit the party, ahead of next year's elections.

"There is no leadership, there are just people occupying leadership positions, but there is no leader. Now who, Nandala Mafabi or Patrick Amuriat," the Agago North County MP and former Leader of Opposition in Parliament, said.

In a telephone interview, Latigo said Patrick Amuriat's administration is not after party interests, but individual gains.

According to Latigo, ever since Amuriat, the party president was elected into office, the party had continued to lose senior members without much intervention to address issues affecting its members.

"The members including myself, are not being pulled by external forces, but they are being repelled by the negative things happening in the party. When I lost elections in 2011, Nandala Mafabi attacked me and I said maybe I don't belong in FDC," he said.

Latigo also attacked the party's former president, Dr Kiiza Besigye, saying: "I have heard Besigye say that he is not going to stand again, he is running away from his failures."

The party has in the recent past, registered massive departures by senior members. Last week, nine MPs called it quits, ruling outstanding again on the FDC ticket.

INSULT

Responding to Latigo's accusations, Amuriat said it was an insult by Latigo to the party, which nominated him to represent Uganda at the Pan-African Parliament. "He is being mistaken when he says we are working for personal gains. We came into FDC leadership as volunteers. We don't get a salary," he said.

Amuriat said Latigo and other senior party members had spiritually left the party many years ago, adding that their utterances and final departure from the party is not a surprise to the leadership.

FREE ENTRY, EXIT

"As FDC, we maintain a policy of free entry and exit, we admit people into FDC and those who wish to leave, have an open way.

The departure of members does not worry us so much," Amuriat said.

BESIGYE PERSONALISED FDC — KAMYA

Lands minister Beti Kamya accused Besigye of personalising the party. Kamya, who is a founder member of the FDC, said the issues raised by the Kampala Woman MP Nabila Naggayi are the same issues that made her quit.

"Nabila is right, Dr Besigye personalised the party, he disappointed all of us," Kamya said.

Kamya fell out with Najjanankumbi after they denied her the party's position of the chairperson when it fell vacant after the death of Dr Sulaiman Kiggundu.

She later formed the Uganda Federal Alliance, which she abandoned to become a minister. "The party president gets orders from Katonga, you have a shadow government at Najjanankumbi and another one at Katonga," Kamya wondered.

Her fellow founder member now minister of state for environment, Beatrice Anywar, said those who thought it was her individual problem when she spoke out about problems in FDC, should learn lessons.

"I am completely done with that party, I am busy building NRM structures in Kitgum and it's time for others to learn lessons. Instead of building, they are destroying," Anywar said.

The party's spokesperson Ibrahim Semujju Nganda refused to comment on the subject. However, his deputy, John Kikonyogo, said many were using Besigye as an excuse to undermine the party.