Besigye, Ingrid and Ogutu form a new political party

The former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) members based at Katonga Road have petitioned the Electoral Commission, seeking the reservation of the name, colour, symbol, and slogan for their political party.

Led by Wafula Ogutu, the founding member of FDC, and 11 others, they revealed that the name of their political party is the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF).

According to Charles Oduman Okello, during their Delegates’ Conference last week, members of the faction resolved to form a new party after falling out with the leadership at the Najjanankumbi party headquarters.

“We have finished preserving the name of the party, which we think will liberate this country. I know the electoral commission has not yet done their part, but we have submitted the new political vehicles that can transform this nation, the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF),” he said.

“Our colour is red and royal blue and our symbol will be a phone so that you can all say, where are you?” Our slogan is freedom for all and all for freedom because we have been under captivity for a very long time. We have done our part, so we leave the electoral commission to do its part so that we embark on collecting signatures for registering this party. We have a counsellor that will help us apply so that we do the due diligence,” he said.

The FDC intraparty fights started on the eve of 2021 with two factions led by the former presidential candidate, Dr. Kiiza Besigye, and the party President Patrick Amuriat and Nandala. Besigye accused Nandala’s group of working President Yoweri Museveni.

Besigye’s camp, which Ssemmujju subscribes to, accuses the Amuriat’s group of getting money from the president, Yoweri Museveni. Amuriat and the group have since refuted all claims. Amuriat’s group conversely accused Besigye and his faction of failure to disclose the source of $400, which he availed during the campaigns.

It is alleged that Besigye was trying to push Amuriat out of the race ahead of the coming party presidential elections for the Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.

Despite being a party member, Besigye didn’t support nor conversely support Amuriat in the concluded 2021 presidential elections.

Nandala has since said that Besigye has continued to disorganise the party, yet he is not a founding member. I want to challenge him to let us know where he signed when we founded FDC. He was in South Africa and returned when the party was in place,” he said last year.