The two leading political parties—the Forum for Democratic Change and Uganda People’s Congress—have had their offices in Mbale closed for failure to pay rent.
The officials from the two parties now conduct business from the streets.
The FDC offices were closed in October last year by the management of Bugisu Cooperative Union after the party failed to pay rent arrears amounting to more than four million shillings.
To date the offices have remained locked with a notice on the door stating that they were closed over rent arrears.
Abdu Masaba, the Mbale FDC Chairperson blames the closure on bureaucratic procedures at the national headquarters that have led to delays in the release of funds for paying rent.
Masaba, however, says the closure of the office has not affected their activities like the grass root elections of leaders that are ongoing in eastern Uganda.
Meanwhile the UPC regional offices have also been closed since April last year. The party was evicted from a building that was offered to them for years by a party supporter and since then they have not been able to relocate to a new place.
Hakim Watenyeri, the UPC chief mobiliser in Bugisu blames the closure of the offices on the wrangles in the party leadership. He explains that a supporter who had offered them office space to operate from changed his mind and threw them out following the confusion that engulfed the party.
Watenyeri says lack of a clear leadership of the party in Mbale has made it difficult for the party to get new offices. He explains that party supporters have for months failed to trace where the Mbale party chairman, Abbas Wetaka, operates from.
Watenyeri says lack of an office for coordinating party activities has affected the recruitment of members into the party.
This comes at a time when UPC president Olara Otunnu has fallen out with top party officials. In December, Otunnu sacked top party executives including secretary general John Odit, mobilisation chief David Pulkol and national chairman, Major Edward Rurangaranga. Otunnu accused the officials of undermining his leadership.
