Kampala, Uganda | URN | The Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has dropped Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda from the position of party chief whip in parliament and appointed Mawokota South MP, Yusuf Nsibambi as his replacement.
FDC Secretary General Nathan Nandala Mafabi communicated the decision in an August 7, 2023 letter to the Speaker of Parliament. The letter is copied to the Deputy Speaker, FDC party President Patrick Amuriat Oboi, Ssemujju Nganda, and Yusuf Nsibambi.
“We hereby withdraw Hon. Ssemujju Ibrahim Nganda as the party (FDC) chief whip with immediate effect,” reads the letter in part.
The decision is said to have been made by the party working committee, which is comprised of the executive. Nandala confirmed the authenticity of the letter when contacted, saying that the communication is a party decision.
He quoted section 6j (1) of the Administration of Parliament (Amendment) Act 2006 which states that a party in opposition may appoint its chief whip. The changes come amidst a crisis in the party emanating from allegations that Nandala brought “dirty” money into the opposition party (FDC) from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) with the intention of selling it (FDC) to the NRM.
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The allegations first made public by Ssemujju originated from FDC founding president, Dr Kizza Besigye who says that he received information in 2020 that Nandala had received huge sums of money from State House. The information allegedly reached Dr. Besigye two weeks after Nandala had entrusted him with Shs 300 million. Nandala also allegedly gave another Shs 280 million cash to the party president Amuriat.
The allegations prompted the party’s national council to form a committee of elders to investigate the matter. However, the committee in its report didn’t focus on investigating the source of the money and under what conditions it was received. Rather, the Dr Frank Nabwiso-led committee focused on reconciling Besigye with Nandala.
Dr. Besigye, on Monday 7, August 2023 trashed the report, saying there was no need to reconcile him with Nandala since he has no personal vendetta against him. Ssemujju could not be reached for comment by the time of publishing the story since he didn’t pick up our calls to his personal number.
