Retired Colonel Kiiza Besigye has this afternoon been nominated to run on The Democratic Alliance platform during the forthcoming 2016 presidential elections.
Dr Besigye became the flag bearer for Forum for Democratic Change after defeating his party President Major General Mugisha Muntu at a delegates conference held at the Nelson Mandela National Stadium Nambole, last week.
Clad in a black suit, a flamboyant Besigye today arrived at the TDA offices in Naguru accompanied by supporters who were chanting anti- Museveni slogans, while praising him as the ‘true freedom fighter’.
FDC president Maj Gen Muntu, Leader of Opposition Wafula Oguttu, party Electoral Commission boss Dan Mugarura; Mobilisation Secretary Ingrid Turinawe and Shadow Finance Minister Geoffrey Ekanya also accompanied Besigye.
Dr Besigye, who presented his nomination papers to the TDA Chairman Okello Okello, pledged his commitment towards constitutional and electoral reforms in the country.
“We are committed to working together to save Ugandans from the desperate situation that they find themselves in,” said Besigye, adding that he would respect the outcome of the selection process of the alliance.
“If I am not the favourite candidate I will rally my support and that of FDC as a party behind whoever TDA successfully selects,” said Besigye.
Further, Dr Besigye lamented that there has been no peaceful hand over of power but rather ‘rigged and violent elections which must be stopped’.
“Mbabazi is being initiated into the kind of situation those of us who oppose President Museveni go through,” Dr Besigye said of Mbabazi’s consultative meeting in the eastern town of Soroti, where those gathered for his address were sprayed with teargas by police this afternoon.
In response Okello Okello welcomed Besigye’s decision to seek the TDA ticket and informed him that his nomination papers are going to be forwarded to the selection committee, which will decide the joint flag bearer by consensus.
On his part the FDC party President expressed gratitude at Dr Besigye’s nomination and hoped the TDA selection committee will choose his party candidate.
And, asked about Amama Mbabazi’s Soroti debacle earlier this afternoon, Muntu said Museveni ‘runs this country like his home’.
“The Museveni team are scared and will always make mistakes but it is upon us organize ourselves to make Uganda a better place to be,” Maj Gen Muntu added.
