Erias Lukwago, Vice President of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) in charge of Buganda, has sternly asserted that the party will not succumb to being transformed into a "briefcase organization" by its President, Patrick Amuriat, and Secretary General, Nandala Mafabi.
Speaking to journalists at Fair Way Hotel-Kampala on Thursday, Lukwago emphasized the FDC's firm structural foundation and its resilience against attempts to manipulate its core principles.
Lukwago, who also serves as the Lord Mayor of Kampala, declared that FDC possessed robust operational structures across the nation, and would not allow the party's trajectory to be swayed by the emotions of a select few. He highlighted that a disagreement within the party was not sufficient grounds for Amuriat and Mafabi to sideline the established party constitution and dictate its course.
"Our party headquarters is under siege and taken over by goons! But this party does not belong to two or three individuals who want to manage it as a briefcase party! The FDC is one party which has gotten its robust structures rolled out countrywide. It has never been a briefcase party! It’s an absurdity and it’s totally unacceptable," Lukwago asserted, further making it clear that his stance was not that of a faction but a commitment to the party's fundamental principles.
The Vice President challenged the perception that his group represented a faction, contending that it was Amuriat and Mafabi who had veered off the party's constitutional path.
"Actually if anything it’s Nandala and Amuriat running a faction because the executive is here and we are ready to execute business. This is our mandate under the party constitution. However right now it’s an unfortunate situation that NEC can’t sit and we cannot allow this to happen," he explained.
Lukwago assured party members that he and his allies were prepared to take necessary action to convene the National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings, underscoring that the decisions and statements made by Amuriat and Mafabi lacked the backing of the party's constitution.
Amidst the ongoing internal discord within FDC, rumors have circulated concerning financial influence on the party. Lukwago's group has alleged that "dirty money" from President Yoweri Museveni was channeled to support Amuriat's 2021 presidential campaign, contributing to the rift within the party.
As the FDC navigates these internal challenges, the focus remains on upholding the party's values and constitutional integrity, as emphasized by Lukwago. The next steps and decisions of the party are awaited, with members eager to see a resolution that aligns with the FDC's established principles.
