If Dr Kizza Besigye decided to go to the beach to cool off with a beer or two with Amb. Waswa Birigwa and friends they don’t need police protection.
Their meeting is considered casual and Police would not stop such an outing of friends or senior Members of FDC.
In light of the above, Police have said they will not be party to the delegates conference organized by Forum for Democratic Change national chairman, Amb. Wasswa Birigwa and to that, they will not provide security for the same function.
In a September, 12, letter, the police operations director, AIGP John Nuwagira on behalf of IGP John Martins Okoth Ochola said they had been informed by the FDC Secretary General that they are not aware of Birigwa’s delegates conference which they said is illegal.
“This is also to inform you, that Uganda Police Force is equally in receipt of another communication from the Secretary General, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Ref; FDC 1.84/IGP/03/09/2023, dated 12th Septembers 2023, denying any knowledge of such a meeting and complaining that, if it were to take place, it would be in direct contravention of the party constitution and an illegality.
That it would as well likely cause confusion and chaos amongst the population,” the police said.
“Police will therefore not be ready to provide the required security for the event until the party position is harmonized.”
Police consequently advised Birigwa to reconcile the party position “or seek resolution from the courts of law to avoid likely open conflict and possible clashes.”
The development comes after Birigwa wrote to the IGP informing him of the planned delegates conference.
The crisis within the once strongest party deepened when members announced two conflicting delegates conferences.
The FDC national chairman, Wasswa Birigwa in an August, 18 notice announced an extraordinary national delegates conference set for September 19 whereas the FDC electoral commission chairperson, Boniface Toterebuka announced the party’s delegates conference set for October, 6.
Chaos within FDC started when a section of FDC members led by Ssemujju accused the party leaders led by the president Patrick Amuriat and Secretary General Nandala Mafabi of having received money from President Museveni to fund the previous 2021 general elections, an allegation the two denied vehemently.
These claims were later substantiated by opposition strongman and four time presidential candidate, Dr.Kizza Besigye who said the cash from Museveni facilitated the just concluded 2021 polls but failed to give evidence.
Besigye claimed that the money was part of a conspiracy to betray and hand FDC over to President Museveni to ensure he fulfill a declaration he made in 2016 declaration that there would be no political opposition by 2021.
However, FDC president Patrick Amuriat and Secretary General, Nandala Mafabi have since blasted Besigye and his “Katonga group” of trying to hijack the party.
They have also asked Besigye and his group to provide proof of the said dirty money; which he has failed to produce.
The fallout has also seen each of the factions ask the party members not to participate in the elections organised by the other group.
If the beach meeting is thwarted by the FDC leadership that will be the first technical knock out to the Ssemuju group and they will be forced to produce or make a plan B.
An FDC source said that Amb. Birigwa and Dr. Besigye should accept that they are old and need to retire graceful and that any effort they make to tear the party apart is trying to kill their legacy but that those in charge of FDC will not allow it.
Besigye’s younger team of Ssemuju and Doreen Nyajura are out of fashion to take up the FDC leadership mantle. Ssemuju is not a smart politician; he will comment on any thing and everything, wise people must have some breathing space of thinking, reading, planning, resting and talking, Ssemujju is always and only taking when does he get time to do other things which would make him intelligent ? Another FDC source said.
Nyajura(above) is out of fashion to move things in a political Party in a country like Uganda” the source added
