The hopes of the Forum for Democratic Change-FDC Katonga faction, led by Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, to obstruct the delegates’ conference organized by the Najjanankumbi group, led by Patrick Amuriat Oboi and Nathan Nandala Mafabi, may have been dealt a blow.
It has been revealed that one of the FDC vice-chairpersons also endorsed a notice inviting party members to a delegates’ conference scheduled for Friday in Kampala. Both factions convened at the High Court in Kampala on Thursday for a hearing related to an application filed by Lukwago’s group to halt the delegates’ conference.
At the heart of the argument was the assertion that Boniface Toterebuka Bamwenda, the head of the Electoral Commission at Najjanankumbi, had no authority to convene a delegates’ conference. The Katonga faction contended that this authority solely rested with the party’s chairman, Ambassador Wasswa Birigwa.
However, in a surprising turn of events, it was revealed that Kibuuka Mukalazi, Birigwa’s deputy for the Buganda region, had endorsed the notice calling for the delegates’ conference scheduled for the following day.
Lukwago, one of the Katonga faction’s lawyers, promptly dismissed this notice, alleging that it was a forgery. He claimed that on July 27, the day when Mukalazi purportedly signed the notice, he was in a Nairobi hospital undergoing medical treatment. Lukwago argued that if the court were to accept this notice as valid, it would condone an illegal act.
After the court hearing, Birigwa, speaking to reporters, stated that Mukalazi could not claim to act on his behalf because he was present and had never delegated such authority. He asserted that even if the court were to allow the delegates’ conference to proceed, the newly elected leaders would be considered illegitimate.
Lukwago emphasized that the events in court revealed the extent to which Nandala and his associates were willing to go to gain control of FDC, regardless of the court’s decision. He maintained that the court’s ruling would not affect the determination of FDC supporters to stand up for their party.
Salam Musumba, the FDC vice-chairperson for Eastern Uganda, expressed her astonishment at the level of betrayal by some of her longtime colleagues. She questioned how Kibuuka Mukalazi could claim to convene a meeting without consulting any of his colleagues.
Justice Musa Ssekaana has pledged to issue his ruling before the scheduled delegates’ conference.
