Kampala, Uganda | By Michael Wandati | On Monday, leaders of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Katonga faction made a bold move by storming the Electoral Commission (EC) offices to request registration forms necessary for establishing their new party, the People’s Front for Freedom. This action was prompted by the EC’s delayed response to their September 16, 2024, letter requesting party registration.
The delegation, led by acting party president Mr. Erias Lukwago, sought answers from the EC’s deputy spokesperson, Mr. Paul Bukenya. However, Bukenya informed them that key officials were unavailable to address their concerns.
Frustrated by the lack of communication, the FDC leaders pressed for a timeline regarding when they could expect a response, but left without any definitive answers.
In a statement to the press, Lukwago voiced his dissatisfaction with the EC’s delays in providing the necessary registration forms, emphasizing their importance for formalizing the party. He indicated that the faction plans to reconvene to strategize their next steps.
“We arrived this morning, the receptionists were good to us and they told us the [EC chairperson] is not around. They were honest enough to tell us that the vice is around. We got the shock of our life when Mr. Paul Bukenya came and I think they told us a lie that they had a field activity,” Lukwago said.
In response to the demands of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Katonga faction, Electoral Commission deputy spokesperson Paul Bukenya urged the faction’s leadership to exercise patience and wait for a formal response from the Commission.
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The faction, led by acting president Erias Lukwago, had visited the Commission’s offices seeking registration forms to initiate the process of formalizing their new party, the People’s Front for Freedom.
“The matter is before the commission, it will consider it and respond,” Mr Bukenya said.
Earlier, on September 4, the Electoral Commission declined to reserve the name for the FDC Katonga faction’s new party, citing its similarity to another political group, the People Power Front, as well as the resemblance of their colors to those of the FDC Najjanankumbi faction. Despite this, the Katonga faction insists that both their name and colors are distinct from any existing parties.
