Last Sunday Moses Byamugisha, an FDC youth leader and close ally of Col Kizza Besigye Uganda’s powerful opposition leader, hosted fellow members at his palatial residence in Nsasa, Namugongo, Kampala.
He was celebrating his 35th birthday and he would later use the opportunity to announce his quest for FDC presidency in the coming elections slated for November.
This website exclusively broke the news of Byamugisha’s bid but the highlight of the day was the multi-million pad he erected.
To some members, this was a huge surprise which later stirred debate as to how Byamugisha built the house.
The debate until today shifted from his presidential ambitions to his source of wealth.
In this article he speaks out on challenging his boss Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu and also how he amassed his wealth.
Below is his unedited statement. Read on!
Social media has been awash with stories about my birthday celebrations on 28th May that I hosted at my home in Nsasa Namugongo. Some of these stories are unfortunately misleading and I would therefore like to make these clarifications.
On running for FDC Presidency;
It’s true that I will be offering myself as a candidate in the race to choose the next FDC party president this November. This stems from the back ground of our desire to revive the vibrancy of Fdc party especially among Uganda’s majority youths who today seem disengaged in politics.
About four years ago, myself and a team of young leaders in FDC embarked on a countrywide youth mobilization campaign which had basically 3 aims. To recruit more youths into FDC and encourage them to get into the leadership structure; To prepare FDC youths for the National Youth Council elections where we compete with other parties; and finally; To identify potential young leaders, encourage and empower them to compete at various levels in the 2016 general elections. During this mobilization campaign, we held meetings with FDC youth leaders in 80 districts around the country.
In the next FDC party grassroots elections, hundreds of these youths whom we met not only managed to get elected into the party leadership structure at lower levels but also around 280 of them became national delegates. A good number of these later competed at various positions in the FDC National Executive Committee (NEC) in elections that were held during the National Delegates Conference of 2nd September, while others later competed to be party flag bearers in their home districts as MPs, LC3s, and Councilors etc.Its upon this background that you saw me offering myself as a candidate for FDC Presidential flag bearer in 2015, I was only 33 years then and so our desire to have me as a candidate in that race was curtailed by the constitutional age limit requirement of 35years and above. Am happy to report now that I made 35years on 28th May and not only eligible but also ready to contest for FDC Party president come November 2017. But even when I was not allowed to contest in that exercise, my participation in this mobilization exercise offered more encouragement to hundreds of young people in FDC who had always looked up to me for leadership; And finally if I get nominated this July, it will show young Ugandans across board that FDC is a party where you join as a mobiliser in the village but be groomed and mentored to progressively rise to its top leadership ranks. That this will generate debate among youths from other parties and encourage them to join FDC party. This is going to be my first achievement to FDC party even before the November 2017 elections.
Throughout this campaign, you are going to notice that there is a fundamental difference between me Byamugisha Moses and some other aspirants and members . Whereas many of you would wish to argue that change should be out the desire to put right what Dr Besigye, Muntu and their senior colleagues have failed to do,I have a completely different understanding of the situation before us.
I look at our elders all of them together as honourable gentleman and ladies who over the years have sacrificed to make Uganda and Fdc party this better thing we have found ourselves into; And therefore I personally feel that it is our duty as the young generation to continue from where they have reached and build our country so that their shared vision is achieved.
I personally feel grateful that God gave this country and Fdc the likes of DrBesigye, Gen Muntu and many others who have fought over time for the transformation of our country. I therefore reason that the best thing we as the young leaders can do for our senior citizens is to seek to fulfill this desired and shared agenda.
As I run for fdc party president, I do it in honor and respective of our senior leaders, I do it in appreciation of their good work and commitment to a stronger fdc party and a better country. I run for president well aware that Fdc and Uganda have not started today, some people who came before us shed blood to make it what it is today and the best thing we can reward them is to continue to uphold these values and achieve this dream of a transformed Uganda of happy people.
All am saying is that i wish to be part of those young leaders of our generation who are working hard to rally Ugandans to make a contribution in building our country and party. I have no negative energy; all am working for is to ensure that my generation doesn’t just pass without leaving a mark. And in my heart I know that this transfer of power is going to be a process. On one side there is going to be a visionary team of senior leaders that is eager to see in place a well-trained and empowered young leadership team that is capable of taking this party and country to the next level; while on the other hand, There is going to be a team of committed and visionary young leaders who have positioned themselves to undertake the roles of our retired senior citizens. My assumption is that each of us should be positioning him/herself.
On the talk of another Westerner taking over fdc presidency from two former westerners;
FDC party is a national party both in character, membership and in operation. Today in FDC party structures is a full representation of all tribes and communities of Uganda. The party does not discriminate against anyone. The two leaders DrBesigye and Gen Muntu who have served fdc party have done so on merit and voted in open elections. The FDC electoral commission has always announced public the road maps for internal elections and people have always freely competed, I remember that Hon GeofreyEkanya (from Tororo) competed in the previous fdc presidential election and performed well. The desire to want to undermine my candidature simply on tribal lines is simply unfortunate and un characteristic of fdc party. I have a track record upon which I can be judged personally, let people consider my credentials.
On where I got the money to build the “multimillion” house at the age of 33yrs;
Am a lawyer by training with an under-graduate diploma and a Bachelors degree in Law, I have worked in a few offices but most notably a Policy Analyst under Leaders of Opposition Hon NandalaMafabi and Hon WaffullaOgutu as they then were. I do a lot of tree planting and come from a stable family but most importantly. I have not embezzled any money be it public or private funds, am only an ambitious young man who is keen on priorities of life. Some of you have your monies on fixed deposits accounts,others drive nice cars,other invest in Land,stock exchange etc. I personally chose to settle down with my family in a decent home that befits a person aspiring for a top office in this country.
I thank the campaign team for the good work sofa, we are moving forward.
