Kampala, Uganda | URN | There is confusion over the emergence of campaign posters of a four-time presidential candidate, Dr Kizza Besigye in Kampala, days after local media reported that he had given up his hopes for the presidency.
Sources who spoke to this publication recently confirmed that Dr Besigye was not going to stand again because he believes that elections in Uganda are a process in futility.
He added that Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) bigwigs such as the party President Patrick Amuriat Oboi, party chairman Wasswa Biriggwa, mobilizing secretary, Ingrid Turinawe, former Leader of Opposition Wafula Oguttu, and Buganda Region Vice President Joyce Ssebugwawo, among others, have failed to convince Besigye to consider a fifth run for the presidency.
“He has no trust in the electoral process; he believes that the results are always predetermined in favour of President Museveni. So it doesn’t matter how much FDC will beg, he will not be standing in the next election,” a source very close to Dr Besigye told this publication.
But over the weekend, posters of Dr Besigye were pinned at Najjanankumbi indicating that he could contest for the presidency once again. But John Kikonyogo, the FDC deputy spokesperson said those who want to know whether Besigye will be contesting should wait for just a little longer.
Picking of nomination forms will kick off Tuesday 18th at the party headquarters and end on Wednesday 19th when Dr Besigye is expected to address the country and end the guessing about his candidature.
A fortnight ago, Amuriat told an FDC meeting in Gulu that if Besigye accepts to hold the flag of the party in the coming elections, there will be no primaries. However the party spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda immediately contradicted him saying that no position in the FDC is ring-fenced for anyone.
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Ssemujju said Amuriat was just expressing his personal opinion on the subject which did not represent the party. For the last three elections, Besigye has competed with Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu for the FDC flag.
However, after the 2017 party election in which Muntu lost the FDC presidency, he broke ranks with the party and formed his own Alliance for National Transformation (ANT).
Meanwhile, FDC expressed dissatisfaction in the way the police is interfering with their party activities. On Sunday 16th police tried to stop FDC elections in Mbale city where the party was trying to get candidates who will hold its flag in Mbale north constituency. Kikonyogo said such acts scare away many of its supporters who fear to be arrested.
