By Kabuye Ronald
By the end of Thursday, the last day for nominations for all party members aspiring to run for positions on the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the FDC. A total of 77 candidates were officially nominated to compete for various positions within the NEC.
Key names and position of those nominated included among others the following below.
For the position of Party President two people were nominated; the incumbent president Patrick Amuriat Oboi and Moses Byamugisha.
For the FDC Vice President for the Four Regions, four people picked the nomination forms but three were duly nominated including Mawokota south legislator Hon. Yusuf Nsibambi for Buganda Region, Hassan Kaps Fungaru for North, Margaret Wokuli for Eastern Region and William Nzoghu- Western Region. However Hon. William Nzoghu didn’t return the forms thus he wasn’t nominated.
For the position of Party Chairperson only Hon. Jack Sabiti, the former Rukiga country legislator was nominated
Party Deputy Chairpersons, four picked forms but only three were nominated and these include: Lilian Elizabeth Masia for North, Kibuuka Mukkalazi for Buganda, Jamal Wante for Eastern, Onesmas Byaruhanga- for Western. However, Onesmas Byaruhanga didn’t return forms as he moved to the Deputy Secretary for Mobilization.
Three people picked forms for the position of Party Secretary General that’s Achile Peter, Yasin Sseruwugge and Nathan James Nandala Mafabi. However, only (1) person Nathan Nandala Mafabi returned the forms and he was dully nominated.
Three people were nominated for the position of the Deputy Secretary General and these include: the FDC youth Chairman Walid Lubega, Gloria Paga and James Apil Otto.
Three people were nominated for the position of Secretary for Information and Publicity and these include John Kikonyogo, Robert Franco Centenary and Idi Ouma while Richard Mugombya was nominated for the position of Deputy Secretary Information and Publicity.
On the position of Secretary for Legal Affairs, the incumbent renowned lawyer Julius Galisonga will tussle it out with the Kyoga County MP Okot Bitek.
The former Makindye East legislator Hon. Ibrahim Kasozi was also the only nominated for the position of organizing secretary.
For the chairperson Women League; three were nominated and these are Edith Nayera, Agnes Kisakye and Hellen Achan.
For the position of Youth League chairperson six were nominated and they include: Francis Adepo, Boniface Ocheng, Swabulah Nankabirwa, Fredrick Okot, Brian Okoli, and Manful Arinaitwe.
While speaking to candidates at the end of the nominations day, Hon. Toterebuka Bamwenda, the Chief Electoral Commissioner of the party thanked all of them for stepping forward to seek leadership roles within the party.
The candidates will now embark on their campaigns, reaching out to delegates across the country.
FDC EC Secretary Augustine Ojobire warned the nominated candidates against indiscipline.
The elections will be held during the 6th October Delegates Conference.
It should be noted that the Delegates Conference was sanctioned by the party Chairperson Wasswa Biriggwa during the the 16th National Council sitting held on 28th July 2023 at party headquarters in Najjanankumbi. The meeting was chaired by Biriggwa in attendance of most of Besigye’s Katonga based members including Salaam Musumba who read the resolutions to the media, Doreen Nyanjura, Francis Mwijukye, Harord Kaija, among others.
Three Resolutions were passed during that National Council meeting;
1. Elections were upheld up to 6th October Delegates Conference, in the districts which they didn’t take place, EC was directed to liase with members there to have them conducted.
2. Presentation and adoption of the elders committee report which found Besigye’s allegations of dirty money baseless.
3. Making public the elders committee report.
