The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) is to choose an Elders Committee that will settle differences between party members before and after the 2016 elections.
According to the party Chairperson Ambassador Wasswa Birigwa Ssekyondwa, the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) will meet on September 2 to select members of the committee.
“The Elders Committee is very important since it has the powers to interpret the Constitution,” Amb Birigwa, who is also a member of the FDC National Organizing Committee (NOC), said and added that the new committee would handle complaints from disgruntled party members and provide solutions.
“After elections, there might be some disagreements and that is why we need them,” Birigwa, a former Ambassador to Japan, said of the dispute resolution committee.
Previously, the old Elders Committee under the chairmanship of former Ruhaama MP Augustine Ruzindana helped resolve differences between party president Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu and Budadiri West MP Nathan Nandala Mafabi after the 2012 party presidential elections. Other members of the outgoing committee includedSoroti Woman MP Angeline Osegge, Bukooli Central MP Wafula Oguttu, and Winfred Kiiza, a former FDC Chief Whip.
Meanwhile, Amb Birigwa also confirmed the delegates’ conference scheduled forSeptember 2 and said it will be held under the theme: ‘Our agenda will be electing the 2016 party flag bearer and reviewing the party Constitution’.
He allayed fears that there would delays in picking nomination forms for those intending to contest for the 2016 national presidential elections, saying the Democratic Alliance is yet to choose a candidate.
“We have at least up to mid-September,” he added.
In a related development the Chief Electoral Commissioner Mr Dan Mugarura said the ongoing FDC flag bearer campaigns by party president Mugisha Muntu and his predecessor Col (rtd) Dr Warren Kizza Besigye had been smooth and that both candidates would be back in Kampala by the end of the week.
“It is winding up period, Dr. Besigye is in Kampala and Maj. Gen Muntu is summarizing his campaigns in Lango,” he revealed.
Mugarura further revealed that they were in talks with Nation Television (NTV) to see that Maj Gen Muntu and Dr Besigye face off in a live debate.
“We are in talks with our candidates and I hope it will be aired by the weekend,” he said.
Mugarura also weighed in on the conference, saying the respective authorities had been duly informed.
“It’s their responsibility to see that our event is successful; we wrote to them and we don’t expect them to interrupt our plans,” Mr Mugarura said.
The FDC delegates’ conference is expected to attract over 1500 individuals and of these only 1200 have the mandate to vote and these include Members of Parliament, Local Council Chairpersons, Mayors and the district delegates,.
