Tororo County Member of Parliament Geoffrey Ekanya has become the first candidate to be nominated for the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential elections as the opposition party formally starts the process to replace its founding leader, Dr Kiiza Besigye.
Shortly after his nomination by the FDC Electoral Commissioner on Friday, Ekanya vowed to promote national diversity once he takes over party leadership.
Ekanya is likely to face stiff competition from Nandala Mafabi, the Leader of Opposition in Parliament and Major General Mugisha Muntu, the party secretary for mobilisation, who have declared their intentions to stand but are yet to be nominated. He calls on the two candidates to maintain a clean campaign with no mudslinging, insulting each other and buying of voters.
Ekanya also clarified that despite allegations he is a mole, he is a strong member and supporter of the party. For over a year, the Shadow minister of Finance has battled allegations that he was compromised by the ruling National Resistance Movement.
In what appears to be a move to court votes from the Central Region, Ekanya says he is confident he will gain support from within Buganda, adding that he is advocating for Federal system of government.
Shortly after being nominated, Ekanya looked beyond the party leadership race and promised to increase salaries of civil servants such as the police, teachers and the army. The Tororo Municipality MP says if he wins the party and national presidency in 2016, he wants to cut down on the number of MPs to 200 and fight corruption.
Mugarura confirmed Ekanya's nomination and noted that all candidates will be advised to forfeit their party leadership positions so as not to have an unfair advantage over their colleagues. Nandala is the party treasurer general while Gen. Muntu is the secretary for mobilisation.
Nominated candidates will be required to submit a comprehensive campaign programme to the party's electoral commission for synchronisation. The election date will be the day of the National Delegates’ Conference on November 22, 2012.
Speaking to URN, Ekanya said even though he recognises the role and leadership of the outgoing Party President Dr. Kiiza Besigye, FDC should have been in power by now.
Ekanya says he is going to introduce a new strategy of recognising every member of the party and also silent supporters from other political parties. A computerised database will be put in place to recognise their support. He adds that he brings with him a new thinking framework and modalities. He is also going to adopt the US President Barack Obama method of fundraising in which each party member contributes 1000 shillings to be spent on sensitisation of the masses.
Ekanya says he wants to change the FDC public relations strategy by enticing party members and non members to participate in the party affairs. He notes that currently when someone leaves the party, the activities are left to a few members yet there is need for wide participation of members.
He used the occasion to attack President Yoweri Museveni, saying the NRM leader has been using Al-shabaab and insecurity in the region to cling onto power.
With his 15 years' experience in politics, Ekanya says he has gained enough international contacts to unveil what he calls President Museveni’s double standards.
