On October 21, 2015, Kofi Atta Annan, a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations separately telephoned Col. Kizza Besigye and Hon Amama Mbabazi inviting them for a hastily- arranged meeting in London.
He informed the two principals that the meeting would sit at Chatham House.
Because the meeting was on short notice, Annan asked the duo to travel with only two people.
Besigye was flanked by FDC secretary general Hon Nandala Mafabi, while UPC strongman Olara Otunnu joined Mbabazi who was already in London.
Bishop Zac also attended as TDA secretary.
Without providing extensive details, Mr Annan said he was acting on behalf of the donor community that was determined to end President Museveni’s long stay in power but again was disappointed to see Mbabazi and Besigye failing to agree on who should lead the opposition under one bloc, The Democratic Alliance (TDA).
TDA designed by two civil society activists, Bishop Zac Niringiye and Godber Tumushabe, was joined by all opposition political parties; FDC, DP, UPC (under Olara Otunnu), JEEMA and NRM Go-forward early 2015.
However, it later emerged that all the other party leaders had ganged against FDC’s Besigye. Mbabazi had been welcomed as the new opposition leader which Besigye and his supporters contested.
TDA’s failure to choose a joint candidate, Kofi Annan told the two leaders that it was not good for democracy.
Fireworks at Chatham House
At Chatham House, Annan first met with the two principals for a briefing.
He told them that the meeting would last for two days, and within those 48 hours the two must agree on who paves way for the other.
As Annan unveiled the pair to the bigger meeting, Besigye and Mbabazi learnt that powerful lobbyists, world leaders and diplomats had attended the meeting.
This website understands that present were: former ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo, Prof Mahmood Mamdani, Prof Anyang’ Yong’o, UK premier (then) David Cameron, German Ambassador who represented European Union, US secretary of State John Kerry sent a representative and several other powerful lobby groups attended.
The meeting asked the two principals why they had failed to agree and whether they understood the outcomes of their selfish decisions.
In his defence, Besigye said Mbabazi couldn’t be trusted, he also accused him of joining opposition to simply lead not to offer support.
Besigye further said Mbabazi had failed to show commitment to the fight for rule of law, human rights and corruption –issues he has consistently referred to as central tenets of the opposition’s cause.
Besigye reportedly told the donors Mbabazi had no structures unlike him who had 2 million voters. He said he needed support to build more structures and also protect the vote.
However, his argument was watered down by firstly Mr Ocampo who accused him of selfishness and aggressiveness for power.
Sources privy to the meeting, said Ocampo told Besigye bluntly that the suitable candidate for TDA was Mbabazi, because he had followers in NRM who couldn’t support Besigye.
Also other opposition parties had agreed to rally behind Mbabazi.
Ocampo added that, his presence was to box Museveni into the ICC corner over issues of human rights abuse. Although it would be hard to indict him, the move would disrupt his grip on power.
Other speakers in the meeting partly agreed with Ocampo. They said Mbabazi was a unifying factor and through him, they would initiate a reconciliation process.
Mbabazi was tasked as leader of TDA to preach peace to all the citizens and partly take blame for “sins” committed by his former boss Gen.Museveni.
Consensus
Whereas Mbabazi and Besigye had been given space to talk to each other, they failed to reach a consensus, although they assured the donors that they would keep talking but most importantly Besigye was advised to step aside.
The meeting designed an eleven-point program which would guide the duo, in case opposition wins an election.
The meeting which had indirectly crowned Mbabazi as the leader of the alliance asked him to choose which ministries he would have control over in his government.
“Mbabazi chose Defence, Internal Affairs, ICT, Gender and Foreign Affairs,” said a source.
Besigye as Prime Minister was assured of full authority to perform executive duties and wouldn’t be sacked by the President.
“Besigye was given Finance Ministry, OPM, Education and Tourism,” added a source.
The meeting was convinced that it had sealed a deal and awaited a final communication from TDA having set a deadline on November 2.
Shocker
The FDC national chairman Amb. Wasswa Birigwa, while addressing journalists at TDA offices in Naguru said the party had decided to withdraw from the protocol and front Besigye as a candidate.
The news sent shivers down the spine of the donor community seeing all the efforts at Chatham House had borne no fruit.
Besigye would be on the ballot.
The donors froze funding, but the former bush war hero vowed to prove to the donors that he had a vast support base which he would use to trounce their preferred candidate in an election.
In 2016, Besigye garnered 33%, Mbabazi got 1.4% and their main rival was reelected with 62%.
The donors ever since vowed never to support Besigye as long as he still participates in the politics of the country.
It explains why donors weighed in on Robert Kyagulanyi even though Kizza Besigye didn’t contest.
Besigye, ever since has no kind words for the western donors. He has several times discredited their role in shaping Uganda’s politics.
Traitor
A high-ranking government official conversant with the security apparatus told this website on condition of anonymity that the regime learnt of Chatham House proceedings.
“It created panic within us. Because it was a good deal,” he said.
Against that backdrop, security sent two army generals who are close friends of Kizza Besigye. They begged him not to offer Mbabazi his position because, “we would be finished.”
The Generals reportedly told Besigye that they have families and children. And they were unsure of their future, should Besigye accept to pave way for Mbabazi.
“Besigye is generous man,” a source recounted.
However, this website couldn’t independently verify this claim.
Besigye could not be reached for a comment when contacted.
However, the FDC secretary general Hon Mafab sometime back revealed a few details of this meeting, insisting that allowing Mbabazi to lead TDA would have bred corruption in opposition since the former premier had been named in several scandals and he had never cleared his name.
