FDC presidential flagbearer lays out campaign strategy

UGANDA DECIDES 2021

KAMPALA - The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential flagbearer for the 2021 elections has presented a blue print of his campaign strategy, days after being entrusted with leading the Opposition party in the forthcoming general polls.

Patrick Oboi Amuriat, who is the current FDC president, hailed his senior party colleague Amb. Wasswa Birigwa for "his magnanimity in accepting to step down" when the two went head-to-head for the party flag.

Amuriat, a former Member of Parliament for Kumi district, told reporters at the party's headquarters in Najjanankumbi on Monday that he was grateful that the party's National Council had "accepted to endorse me".

"I will be using my 26 years public service experience to execute this calling that I graciously accept," he said, going ahead to underline his credentials.

"The country is aware that I have been a Member of Parliament for 15 years and during my tenure in Parliament, I served in many capacities, including chairing the powerful accountability committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises [COSASE].

"I had previously of course worked in development areas as a civil engineer and also as  a teacher, which two professions are in my line of training. I have work with and under Dr. Kizza Besigye in many elections - pre and post-elections civil rights campaigns (...) that have seen us in and out of prison and loaded with many cases that have been brought against us in various courts in this country.

'It is not my campaign alone'

Amuriat has led the FDC for for nearly three years.

He talked of how even during the tough times within the party, he and others had soldiered on.

"Of course worth mentioning is that at one time there was terrible turbulence in the FDC party. The turbulence threatened to cause the collapse of this party. But together with my comrades and friends, we chose to stay within the party, we managed to weather the storm. And here we are today, presiding over a party in good health," he told journalists in his first media briefing since becoming the party's presidential flagbearer.

"In Amuriat you have an experienced person to lead this campaign. Of course we will do it as a team with guidance from Dr. Kizza Besigye. This is not my campaign alone. It is a campaign of the deprived who want to free themselves.

"It is a campaign we will collectively execute. The FDC is present in every village in Uganda and that is our greatest comfort. It is these FDC leaders and supporters that will help me with this campaign.

Amuriat then named the leaders of his campaign team.

"My responsibility, therefore, is to assemble a formiddable campaign team. In consultation with the FDC leadership, I have assigned the following:

1. Amb. Wasswa Birigwa as director general of the campaigns
2. Roland Kagina Mugume as national field coordinator
3. Albert Okello Oduman as the executive director of the campaign bureau

"These are eminent citizens of this country who are tested and I do not have any doubt in my mind that they will measure to the task of putting in place a robust campaign team. They are expected to set up a campaign bureau and campaign structures," said Amuriat.

The complete campaign team is expected to be unveiled next week Monday (October 19, 2020) "after the necessary approvals".

The FDC presidential flagbearer said the team will also help set up various fundraising platforms to generate funds that "will lubricate the gears that will run this campaign".

"Preparations for the nomination of our parliamentary candidates is in high gear. The party has made payments of the requisite nomination fees to all eligible candidates who have expressed interest to contest," said Amuriat.

"Because of the window that has been provided by the postponement, we continue to appeal to those who are interested in running under the FDC for parliamentary positions to express their interest immediately - especially where there are vacancies.

"We also advise and instruct our candidates to present themselves for nomination on the first day of the exercise. This should give room for mitigation of certain inconveniences (...) Signatures to support the nomination of the FDC candidates are being collected in all the districts of the country - and we are using our elaborate network across Uganda to access the voter and access their details and signatures that will ensure the smooth nomination of the presidential flagbearer.

"This is therefore to instruct all field officers to return signed nomination forms not later than this week.

Setting the ball in motion

Amuriat said he will kick off his mobilisation campaign this Saturday.

"I will be commencing a countrywide mobilisation campaign on October 17. During this exercise, I will interact with the FDC leaders, supporters and nominated candidates and I will be waving to Ugandans - now in the capacity of the FDC flagbearer.

"This exercise will be concluded with a grand homecoming and thanksgiving function in Soroti, the place of my birth and also where I made my political debut.

"A detailed programme will be issued in due course. We also intend as we go along to visit cultural, religious institutions for the sake of building a bond between the candidate and these institutions.

"We will also be meeting civil society and other opinion leaders for the sake of developing and strengthening a relationship between those individuals and groups and the candidate. But above all, to get abreast with what is happening around our country because it is this information that we are going to use for enriching our manifesto and also responding to the needs of Ugandans, especially common Ugandans," said Amuriat.