Seven of the eight nominated presidential candidates have today begun their campaigns, with all of them promising to deliver services that will turn around the peoples’ lives. Incumbent Yoweri Museveni has kicked off his campaigns in Nakaseke, Luweero; opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) flag bearer Col (rtd) Dr Kizza Besigye in his home area of Rukungiri, while John Patrick Amama Mbabazi of The Democratic Alliance (TDA) Go Forward faction is holding his first rally in Masaka.

According to the campaign schedule issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission, Joseph Mabirizi and Maureen Faith Kyalya Waluube are camping in eastern Uganda, while former Makerere University Vice Chancellor Venansius Baryamureba will be campaigning in Kayunga District.

By press time it was not yet clear where the eighth candidate, Maj Gen (rtd) Benon Biraro Buta, was set to begin his campaigns. Meanwhile, Independent presidential candidate Amama Mbabazi’s campaign team has faulted the authorities in Masaka for interfering with their candidate’s inaugural rally. The Go Forward team was expected to hold its first campaign rally at Mayors Gardens in town but, according to Mathias Mpuuga, the head of the Mbabazi campaign mobilization task force, the rally was switched to the Golf Course on the directives of the police.

Mpuuga also alleged that authorities in Masaka led the Deputy Resident District Commissioner (D/RDC) Joseph Ssekasamba and District Police Commander (DPC) Moses Kakira supervised the defacing of Mbabazi’s posters in the area over the weekend. But Ssekasamba denied the allegations, saying those making the claims were seeking for cheap political capital.

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Forum Democratic Change yesterday launched its 2016 presidential election campaign task force, forming what they have dubbed Power 10 (P10).

This is a group ten mobilisers at parish level to drum up support for the party’s flag-bearer Col (rtd) Dr Kizza Besigye right from the grassroots level.

According to the party’s spokesperson Ssemuju Nganda, Dr Besigye has previously been accused of concentrating on mobilizing support in the urban areas, something that will now change under the new system that will see FDC groups canvass for votes from villages – door-to-door.

Ssemujju was supported by Dr Besigye, who said whoever wants change should belong to the P10 starting from the parish level.

“Each of the P10 members is obliged to raise another 10 people to multiply the force of grassroots mobilisers,” Besigye said at the FDC headquarters in Najjanankumbi on Sunday.

Dr Besigye emphasized that the coordinator of P10 must have a list of all the members in the group for purposes of planning and coordination, adding  that a copy of the P10 will be kept at the FDC headquarters.

“Our political teams will come from the top to bottom. All campaigns are won at the grassroots. That’s where our people should focus if we are to win this election,” said Besigye.

The flamboyant retired colonel said that casting the vote is nothing but a mere fraction of regaining power.

“We must build from the grassroots level with a strong network,” he urged the FDC leaders.

Recently the National Electoral Commission announced that presidential campaigns will kick off on Monday and Dr Besigye is set to hold his first rally in his birthplace of Rukungiri.

According to the FDC, its National Chairman Ambassador Waswa Birigwa Ssekyondwa will head the task force, deputized by Kamuli district Chairperson Ms Proscovia Salaam Musumba.

MP Geoffrey Ekanya will head the field team, assisted by Patrick Baguma, Joyce Sebugwawo, Nandala Mafabi, lawyer Yusuf Nsibambi  and Chaapa Karuhanga.

Candidates on the Special Mobilisation Team  are Erias Lukwago (Head) Gen David Sejusa, Ken Lukyamuzi, Moses Kasibante and Shifrah Lukwago

Maj John Kazoora, Kevina Taaka,  Cecilia Ogwal, Nabilah Naggayi Ssempala and Ingrid Turinawe are part of the candidate’s team and  will be moving on the candidate’s campaign trail, while Augustine Ruzindana and Col (rtd) Amanya Mushega are campaign advisors.

The FDC flag bearer explained that the campaign season “will be like war,” and called upon members to sacrifice all they can to make this campaign a success.

“We were driven by a purpose and it’s from that purpose that we drew internal strength to fight. Our commitment must remain firm,” Besigye stressed, and warned against lack of transparency, which he said would give the rivals ammunition to fight the FDC.

He also warned his team against attacking other opposition figures, saying “we will lose the bigger picture.”

He reiterated that the 2016 process “is no ordinary campaign. It’s a campaign of defiance; a campaign for people to regain their power.”

The retired Colonel also announced the splitting of campaign forces into two units – with the political team tasked with mobilization and organization while the technical team will deal with communicating the FDC’s message.

Besigye, who has lost thrice lost to incumbent President Yoweri Museveni, was nominated as FDC flag bearer last week at Namboole Stadium, and later addressed a mammoth post-nomination rally at Nakivubo stadium.

Meanwhile, in his brief remarks at party headquarters on yesterday, the FDC president Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu said the massive crowds that rallied behind Besigye on his nomination day exhibited “frustration and a desire for change among our people.”

Muntu, who emphasized the need to organize the grassroots mobilization teams to build momentum for the 2016 elections said the 2016 campaign trail will be tough, and that “change is inevitable.”

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Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) officer General David Sejusa has revealed that he convinced Col (rtd) Dr Kizza Besigye to join the 2016 presidential race.

Addressing Besigye’s supporters at Nakivubo Stadium on Wednesday, Sejusa said it took him a whole night to convince a hesitant Dr Besigye to participate in the elections organised by the Electoral Commission under Eng Badru Kiggundu.

“I spent a night at Dr. Besigye’s home and when re rejected my request, I told him that the Commission is not for Kiggundu but for the people,” he said.

Sejusa appealed to Ugandans to rally their support behind Dr Besigye, saying he is a ‘man of the people’. “Besigye buried my father when I was away in London while President Museveni did not,” Sejusa said while referring to his late father Mzee Simon Peter Bwajoojo, who died in 2014 while the General was in exile in London.

Sejusa also said Dr Besigye has the capability to redeem ‘Ugandans from the captivity inflicted upon them by Museveni and his NRM government’.

In 2012 Dr Besigye, who is the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) flag bearer in the 2016 presidential race, had said he would not participate in any presidential election organized by the current Electoral Commission.

He even resigned his position as the FDC party President a year before his term ended in 2014, arguing that he wanted to pave way for his successor to settle in the position before the 2016 presidential elections.

However, in June this year Besigye made a U-turn and announced that he would participate in the presidential elections. Subsequently, he contested for the party flag against his party President Maj Gen (rtd) Mugisha Muntu.

He won against Muntu, beginning the journey to his nomination as presidential candidate in the 2016 elections.

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The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) flag bearer kicked off his campaigns at Nakivubo on Wednesday afternoon, after being nominated at Nambole Stadium earlier in the morning.

Speaking to thousand s of supporters who converged at Nakivubo stadium, Col (rtd) Dr Warren Kizza Besigye said he had joined the presidential race to ‘liberate Ugandans  from the dictatorship inflicted upon them by the NRM leadership’.

“I cannot ask you to give me power because you are powerless but what I am asking is to work to together in order to liberate ourselves,” Dr Besigye told the frenzied crowd.

Earlier Dr Besigye had caused a stir in Kampala, when thousands of supporters chanting praise songs braved the 12 kilometre journey to escort him to and fro Mandela National Stadium, with the convoy to Nakivubo spending five hours on the road, from noon to 5.00pm

In his address, Besigye thanked the FDC leadership and other leaders from other political affiliations for the support they have rendered him.

He said his campaign is going to be a ‘three phase strategy of liberation of Ugandans from slavery and bondage’.

“First, we have the struggle of liberating our country; second is functionalizing the institutions and then finally we shall ensure universal development,” he stressed.

Besigye pledged to improve service delivery once elected president.

“We need to modernize agriculture, improve education to ensure employment for all and improve the health sector to ensure there is medicine in the health facilities and better payment for our medical personnel,” he said.

He also promised better pay for civil servants, called for agriculture loans to modernize agriculture and for development loans to enable job creation among the youth.

Dr Besigye was accompanied to Nakivubo by a number of FDC top guns including FDC part president Maj Gen (rtd) Mugisha Muntu, deputy president Reagan Okumu, National Chairman Waswa Birigwa, Leader of Opposition Wafula Ogutu, opposition chief whip Cecilia Ogwal and Secretary General Nandala Mafabi.

Others were FDC MPs Geoffrey Ekanya, Winnie Kizza, Elijah Okupa, Paul Mwiru, Nabilah Nagayi Sempala, Wamayi Wamanga, Lucy Akello, Moses Kasibante, Roland Mugume Kaginda, William Nzoghu, Gilbert Olanya and Patrick Amuriat among others.

The FDC flag bearer’s campaign was also attended by political leaders from other dispensations including Conservative Party’s John Ken Lukyamuzi, General David Sejusa and the Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.

Addressing the crowd Lukwago said he accompanied Besigye to the nomination because of the consistency with which he has fought for the right of Ugandans under extreme oppression.

“I thank you for turning up in large numbers and I believe if you had done this to me as well I should  have been at City Hall doing the work you sent me to do,” he added.

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