Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential aspirant Geoffrey Ekanya says it is time for a rainbow coalition for opposition parties if they are to dislodge Yoweri Museveni’s National Resistance Movement from power.
Ekanya believes that FDC alone cannot overwhelm the rigging machinery of the ruling NRM during elections thus the need for an umbrella party.
The Tororo County MP, without citing names, says he is going to identify positive members in the various political parties and convince them to join FDC’s coalition plan.
Ekanya claims that through all the previous general elections that Uganda has had, the opposition particularly the FDC has won, but their grassroots supporters have been intimidated by the military might of the NRM.
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Nicholas Opio, a political analyst, however, says the coalition will not work because there is a spirit of mutual mistrust between the parties. Opio says the traditional parties such as Democratic Party and Uganda People’s Congress perceive FDC as an extension of the movement. This is also the reason why the coalition that was set up for the 2011 general elections failed. Top FDC leaders including party president Dr Kiiza Besigye crossed from NRM.
Opio adds that since FDC regards its self as the stronger opposition political party, the traditional parties see that as undermining them thus the obvious failure for any coalition attempt.
Ekanya is contesting for the FDC’s top party position against Leader of Opposition in Parliament Nandala Mafabi and Major General Mugisha Muntu, who is the party’s secretary for mobilization. Besigye is expected to hand over power to the winner of the elections on November 22 this year during the party’s Delegates’ Conference.
The shadow finance minister appreciates the military contribution to FDC by Muntu and Mafabi’s strong financial background. On nomination day Mafabi said Muntu and Ekanya have no experience in mobilizing and recruiting members to the party.
Ekanya maintains that despite the intimidation in his own home town of Tororo, he has managed to convert some NRM members into FDC just as he did previously with Mafabi and Muntu in Reform Agenda.
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Mike Mukula, NRM vice chairperson for Eastern Region, also says a coalition is hard to sustain. He believes NRM is still a strong party that cannot negotiate itself out of power and whoever joins hands with the opposition will be doing it for personal reasons.
Ekanya says as an Itesot, he has a strong attachment with the Luo community, he believes in Federalism for Buganda and his step sisters come from Western Uganda.
Ekanya also says he will encourage change and suggestions that build the party, denying allegations that he related with the NRM for personal reasons.
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However, in case he loses the election Ekanya promises to support whoever wins the election.
