Excited FDC supporters receiving Dr. Besigye in Kitgum Municipality. Photos by Denis Opoka
Denis Opoka
Kitgum: The residents of Kitgum district are hopeful that the ongoing countrywide consultative meetings by Rtd. Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye will bring about positive change for both the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and Uganda as a whole.
The meetings come after Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate recently announced his return to full-time politics.
Besigye, who was accompanied by the FDC Katonga faction, is currently on a countrywide consultative meeting for the party leaders to seek opinions regarding the impasse within the FDC party.
He started from Hoima City, Masindi, and Lira before proceeding to Gulu City and Kitgum.
In Kitgum Municipality, he was accompanied by Salama Musumba, the FDC vice chairperson for Eastern Region, Denis Onekalit Amere, the Kitgum Municipality MP, Betty Aol Ocan, the Gulu City Woman MP, and Ambassador Wasswa Birigwa, among others.
Andrew Oceng Awich, the FDC chairperson of Pandwong Division in Kitgum Municipality, revealed that the current rift within the FDC party has been caused by the inactiveness of Col. Dr. Besigye in politics.
“I am quite hopeful that his return to politics will bring about positive change which the people of Uganda need,” Awich said.
Dorine Amyera, a resident of Westland “A” Ward, Kitgum Municipality, said that Uganda’s politics without Dr. Besigye does not make any sense, and is hopeful that his bouncing back will bring change.
“The last election to me was the worst election I have ever witnessed because it wasn’t competitive like the other previous election Besigye was in,” Amyera stated.
Jenifer Oyella Otim, a resident of Pager Division, Kitgum Municipality, argued Besigye’s return to active politics will make him put pressure on the government over critical issues like health service delivery, adding that his absence had made the government slacken.
Benson Ochan Acellam, a resident of Bongolakur Village in Labongo Akwang Sub-county, revealed that as a boda boda cyclist, he lost interest in politics during the previous election because Besigye was not on the ballot paper.
“Besigye will now return with new approaches to politics which could bring about change in Uganda, and political parties will copy from that,” Acellam argued.
Morris Santo Oyo, the Kitgum District FDC chairperson, commended Besigye for his 20 years of sacrifice to bring about change in Uganda.
In his brief press briefing upon his arrival at Acaki Lodge in Kitgum Municipality, Besigye revealed that his consultative meeting aims to re-organize the grassroots leaders of the FDC party, which has been divided following misunderstandings among leaders at the national level.
“We are also getting the views of our supporters on how to move forward because the country is in a very deep crisis with the majority of the population up against the war in humiliating poverty because they are in pain,” Besigye said.
In July 2023, the FDC party split into two factions; the Katonga Road Branch led by Kizza Besigye and the Najjanankumbi branch led by Patrick Oboi Amuriat. The reasons for the split, among others followed accusations by Ibrahim Semujju Nganda that Oboi and Mafabi was inspiring to sell the party to NRM.
