Maj Gen (rtd) Mugisha Muntu, a former army commander has scoffed at a section of FDC members who consistently refer to him as a smooth leader whose political approach cannot shake the ruling establishment.
Muntu said those ridiculing his style of leadership within the powerful opposition party are only lucky he didn’t use an iron hand to suffocate whoever attempted to oppose his regime.
Muntu held FDC’s top office for 5 years (2012-2017) under hostility generated by his opponents who denounced institutional building as the party’s main political strategy.
Led by the party’s all-time revered leader Kizza Besigye, a faction of those who believe in capturing power through violence although -non military- but civil disobedience, staged an internal coup against Muntu by rejecting to subscribe to his operational methods.
Instead Besigye created a parallel force sitting at Katonga Road in Kampala. Against this background the FDC split into two warring factions; the Liberal, loyal to Muntu which viewed building structures as the only path to change government and fanatics attached to Besigye whose slogan is defiance.
Indeed on November 24 last year, delegates (voters) chose Besigye’s strategy over Muntu’s by electing Patrick Oboi Amuriat, a close ally of the FDC founder.
Muntu after conceding defeat announced he could carry out nationwide consultations, seeking views of a couple of stakeholders on whether he should quit and form his own political party.
Last week FDC administration warned him against defying the party guidelines by conducting those meetings without a clearance from the head offices, he responded saying he doesn’t need any permission from anybody to seek views of Ugandans.
Lucky
Appearing on a talkshow on NTV on Thursday night to expound on his strategy, he reaffirmed that he is not undermining the FDC presidency with his activities but needs no permission from nobody to consult pro-change citizens.
“I am doing everything in the open. I informed the party that I will be consulting but I don’t need permission. Whatever I gather I will again sit down with the party discuss with them before making a decision,” said Muntu.
He lashed at those senior officials who are up in arms against his activities saying the same people frustrated his ideals while he was president.
Muntu added, “it took me one and a half years to physically sit with Hon Nandala Mafabi. When I lost I met Hon Amuriat in a week.”
Against this backdrop Muntu said he didn’t want to use authority because he was convinced that two strategies would work simultaneously, “I believe in one struggle many fronts.”
The Ex combatant however admitted that he was wrong although he kept calm and composed amid turbulence.
“FDC isn’t an army. It’s a political organisations therefore you can lead it like an army. The army is literary dictatorship,” he said.
He assured those who until today question his political style that if he wanted he would have applied an iron hand, reprimand all those against his administration.
Muntu will traverse the country meeting several individuals before he makes a big announcement.
He insists there are irreconcilable differences within FDC and that is hard to operate in an environment where you are not trusted.