Patrick Amuriat elected as the biggest opposition party FDC President has started to pinch hard those he felt were dragging the party backwards.
Amuriat pointed his axe towards the opposition leader in Parliament Winnie Kiiza by replacing her with Betty Aol Ochan, then calling on trusted activist Muhammad Munyagwa to occupy the reserved Abdu Katuntu, two big changes that critics belief could tear the party apart.
The FDC party chief promised to steady the ship by tilting it towards the activism, which is the language founding party leader Dr. Kizza Besigye understands.
With Amuriat taking the mantle from gentleman, Gen. Mugisha Muntu, it clearly defined the defiance language all willing to continue with the party were or had to understand.
Kiiza and Katuntu appeared to be in for Muntu’s style, which the radicals believed was slowly but surely taking the party away from its original values, which included among others taking the battle to the streets if they failed to achieve through consensus.
FDC wanted a leader who represented that in the house – the Kasese woman MP had that as she exhibited in Kasubi rally and in the house during the age limit debate but her undoing was willing to side with Muntu whose values did not envision that of the hardliners.
In Betty Aol Ochan, they have an activist who is seen in the house as fearless and tough talking. Who will come to Najjanankumbi and share a meal on the same plate with Amuriat and Dr. Besigye.
FDC think they do not benefit from Katuntu’s reserved position yet he occupies an opportunity sector in Parliament.
Katuntu confesses he is not in for the new wave of politics. “My political theory is that I’m not an political activist. I can’t be like them. This is who I am. They expected me to bring activism in a committee. Amuriat (FDC president) hasn’t even called to tell me the reason I was dropped.”
Which explains why Munyagwa comes into Amuriat’s mind to replace Katuntu as the chairperson of the committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises, despite some circles in the party holding that he is being rewarded for stepping aside as Presidential candidate in the party elections.
Democratic Party’s Betty Nambooze is the Commonwealth Parliament Association Representative while Roland Kaginda, the Rukungiri Municipality MP is the head of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
Nandala Mafabi, the party secretary general, who once served as the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee has bounced back as the head of the accountability committee.
Ssemujju Ibrahim Nganda, Kira Municipality MP remains Opposition Chief Whip.
Francis Mwijukye, the Buhweju county MP, is Commissioner of Parliament replacing Cecilia Ogwal Dokolo Districk Woman MP.
Fungaroo Kaps Hassan, the Obongi County MP is now the chairperson of Government Assurance Committee. His assistant is Nakawa MP, Michael Kabaziguruka.
Award winning journalist and writer who has worked as a stringer for a couple of acclaimed South Africa based German journalists, covered 3 Ugandan elections, 2008 Kenya election crisis, with interests in business and sports reporting.
