Patrick Oboi Amuriat, the president of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), has openly criticized the Katonga faction of the party, calling them impostors. His remarks came during a briefing before Parliament’s Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee on October 10, 2024. Amuriat emphasized the legitimacy of the elected leadership under his guidance, expressing gratitude to lawmakers for recognizing the ‘real’ FDC.
Amuriat stated, “Our friends sitting in Katonga are impostors. The signature of Nandala and that of Ekanya are recognized.” He reaffirmed that the FDC has a properly elected leadership that emerged from a national delegates conference held on October 6, 2023. Amuriat maintained that he is the duly elected president of the party and asserted that all communications and decisions from the FDC are made from the party’s headquarters in Najjanankumbi.
He elaborated on the authority held by the FDC leadership, highlighting that the official seal of the party is located on Entebbe Road and that all communications come from the secretary general, Nandala Mafabi. Amuriat reiterated the party’s position regarding its finances, stating that the signatures of Mafabi and Ekanya are recognized in all financial institutions where the party holds accounts.
During his interactions with the media, Amuriat dismissed any claims of a faction operating out of Katonga. He declared that anyone claiming to represent the FDC who is not affiliated with Najjanankumbi is not genuine. “So our friends sitting in Katonga are impostors. I want to repeat that,” he insisted. He acknowledged the formation of a new party called the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) by the Katonga faction and wished them well, while firmly asserting that the legitimate FDC remains under his leadership.
Amuriat pointed out that the FDC continues to sponsor candidates under the party’s official seal and that the party is well-equipped to handle internal disagreements. He noted, “These are normal political differences that all of us experience. The good thing about FDC is that we have mastered the art of stabilizing our party when we have turmoil.”
His comments were partly in response to remarks made by Bukooli Central MP Solomon Silwany, who sought clarification on which faction Amuriat leads. Silwany’s inquiry reflected ongoing tensions within the party, as he questioned, “Which FDC is this one? Because I have been told there are two. Is this the one of Katonga?”
The ongoing disputes between the two factions have been marked by public exchanges. Amuriat has previously accused Kira Municipality MP Semujju Nganda of incompetence, citing a failure to provide timely reports while serving as party whip. In turn, Semujju has expressed reluctance to seek endorsement from Amuriat and Mafabi, suggesting that he prefers to explore other options for political support.
In a recent interview, Semujju criticized the efficacy of the FDC stamp, arguing that its presence did not guarantee electoral success. “How many people did they stamp for? In the last elections, we fielded close to 300 parliamentary candidates, only 32 made it to parliament,” he noted.
