The new FDC changes in Parliament are not a purge like what Bugweri County legislator Hon Abdu Katuntu chose to describe them neither are they a reshuffle, but a loud and clear signal to ex president Mugisha Muntu that his presence in the party is good, but his absence is better.
It was a message that he needed not to waste resources traversing the country carrying out consultations on whether he should quit the powerful opposition establishment.
The Press Conference he convened at Hotel Africana on November 29 when the country was disappointed by his announcement was a total wastage of time. And again the time, resources and energies exhausted in consultations could have been used to source for more logistics, woo supporters and begin a new establishement.
Nine months after, Muntu’s faction would be the third force and a biggest threat to his former party- FDC, unfortunately nine months later he is facing more humiliation.
What happened last week on Friday as mainstream FDC announced changes in the shadow cabinet was an attack on Muntu and his loyalists ended up paying a heavy price.
Appointing comedians as head of Parliamentary Committees is a clear manifestation of promoting defiance where it is unnecessary.
On the other hand, the new appointments come as a reward to those that have been loyal to Besigye and openly harassed a team of party moderates whose approach is much efficient in terms of party expansion and ‘capturing’ power.
After two decades extremism as a theme is yet to deliver the party to government despite multiple times the party has engrossed in elections.
Sometime back, a reporter asked Col Kizza Besigye what he benefited continuing to participate in elections he perennially refers to as a sham, and without mincing words he responded that the election helps the party to weigh its strength and therefore exert more pressure on the ruling party.
Question is Besigye and his institution comfortable with exerting pressure and not interested in taking power?
On the other side, former party president Mugisha Muntu who is accused of being a mole suggested a easy method which that the party could use can take power.
Muntu’s method is referred to as easy because it has less costs not even costing lives like what happened to radicals when they are commanded to attack security in street battles.
Muntu was only aiming at numbers which can only be registered when the party vigorously embarks on institutional building.
In his five year term amid turbulence generated by radicals, Muntu was able to challenge those opposed to his leadership style.
At the time the party held its National Executive Committee (NEC) polls in 2014 at UMA hall in Lugogo, the FDC had representatives from every subcounty across the country. No radical would acknowledge such as a milestone, instead focus was put his leadership style and his absence on the street.
When Muntu succumbed to pressure and engaged in street battles (black Monday protests), the same people he participated with questioned why he never got arrested by police. Eventually he was branded an operative.
Whereas he got stuck to his principles and decided to build a party, the presidential election at Nambole which he lost was a last nail in the coffin that his services at Najjanankumbi were needed no more.
Uganda has ‘few Muntus’ who stick to their word. Though he is appreciated he is costing those following him. Some times in leadership you are required to make adjustments whether you are misled, it is not always late to make reflections and corrections.
The moderates in FDC, a section of disgruntled leaders and supporters in NRM, a big percentage of the elite, ‘washed youth,’ and new supporters who can be wooed into the third force are impatiently waiting for muntu to make a pronouncement.
Kawempe MP Mubaraka Munywagwa while at Namboole casting his vote appeared Live in a TV interview, he blamed Muntu for attacking Besigye in his speech.
Munywagwa said Besigye is an untouchable, he predicted Muntu would lose election because of this blunder. Indeed Muntu fell and today Munywagwa who could do better on q mic at National Theatre heads a powerful committee.
Is this what a principled Muntu wants to achieve in his political journey, or he suffers fear of the unknown ?
