The main administration of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) sitting at the head offices at Najjanankumbi in Kampala has vehemently rejected to release funds to the party chairman Ambassador Wasswa Biriggwa to organize what he termed as extraordinary delegates conference.
The delegates conference is the highest decision making organ of FDC that elects party leaders.
On August 24, Biriggwa, the chairman of FDC National Council wrote to the Secretary General Nandala Mafabi asking him to release funds to implement the activity which would see 1970 delegates attend the event.
Biriggwa’s letter to Mafabi followed his notice in the media calling for the extraordinary delegates conference without the FDC authorization.
Usually notices in print or electronic media are charged by the media houses as adverts. Where and how Biriggwa mobilized funds to run the advert remains unknown to the party.
Further his notice violated the already sanctioned resolution of the National Council meeting held on July 28 leading to election of National Executive Committee (NEC) leaders slated for October 6.
“Office of the Party Chairman has called for an Extra-Ordinary National 19th — Delegates Conference on Tuesday 19 September, 2023 in Kampala. The total number of expected participants are 1970 including 1560 delegates and 410 other guests/participants.
This is to request you provide funds totaling to Six hundred thirty eight million, two hundred forty three thousand two hundred eighty shillings only (Ugx.638, 243,280) to allow us implement this activity. Please find the attached budget for details I thank you,” Mr Biriggwa’s letter to Mafabi reads.
Funding a Besigye Delegates Conference?
The FDC founder Col Kizza Besigye who now holds no influential party position, however, runs a parallel office at Katonga Road in Kampala that continues to interfere with the party affairs at Najjanankumbi.
Whereas Col (rtd) Besigye dismisses the allegation with contempt wondering what structures does Katonga hold, his loyalists have exhibited a rebellious approach and publicly continue to undermine the leadership at Najjanankumbi.
The Besigye fanatics have since vowed to hold a delegates conference to vote out Hon Mafabi and FDC president Patrick Oboi Amuriat (POA). This campaign is spearheaded by Hon Ssemujju Nganda.
Against that backdrop Hon Mafabi expressly told off Mr Biriggwa that he wouldn’t see a single coin to organize a conference that is hell bent on serving Besigye’s interests.
Besigye and Mafabi were once inseparable until the end of 2022 when Besigye raised allegations that Mafabi and POA had received dirty money from President Yoweri Museveni.
However, Dr Besigye support his accusations with sufficient evidence. His claims were dismissed by a commission set up to investigate the allegations.
In his response to Biriggwa, Mafabi reminded the chairman that by undermining the resolutions of National Council, Biriggwa was serving the interests of Katonga sect.
“By the above cited conduct, you seem to be implementing resolutions of the press Conferences of Katonga by Dr.Kizza Besigye of 2/08/2023 and Fairway Hotel of 17 leaders of 3/08/2023 respectively yet Katonga is not an organ or structure of FDC that the Chairman has to implement its resolutions,” Mafabi’s letter reads in part.
For 8 years Biriggwa had not summoned a delegates conference, what then would be his interest in calling the meeting in these dying minutes of his tenure as chairman?
“Having been the Chairman of the Party for 8 years, you had the time to convene the Delegates Conference which you never did but choose to call it now at the tail end of your term of office. At this critical time, you are enhancing disharmony and implementing the roadmap of the Katonga and Fairway Press Conferences which contravenes Article 28(1) (b) (iii) of the FDC Constitution,” Mafabi further informed the former NRM envoy.
Efforts to reach Mr Biriggwa for comment were unsuccessful as his known phone number couldn’t be reached.