The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate, Mr Nandala Mafabi, has pledged to release former FDC leader, retired Col Dr Kizza Besigye, on his first day in office if elected president in the forthcoming January general election. ‘If I become the president of Uganda, Dr Kizza Besigye will be released on my first day in office. For now, I do not have the power to release him,’ Mr Mafabi said.
Mr Mafabi criticised continued support for the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), arguing that its poverty alleviation programmes have failed to improve Ugandans’ livelihoods. ‘Supporting the NRM party by 90 percent means supporting bad leadership because all its programmes on poverty eradication, including Entandikwa, Kulembeka, Bonna Bagaggawale (Prosperity for All), Emyooga, Operation Wealth Creation, and now the Parish Development Model, have not eradicated poverty in Uganda,’ he said.
Mr Mafabi was speaking during a radio talk show in Kabale Town on Saturday last week, where he unveiled the FDC manifesto before responding to questions from listeners. Many callers questioned why he had not openly advocated for Dr Besigye’s release during his campaigns in the Kigezi region. Dr Besigye, who hails from the Kigezi Sub-region, is one of the founding members of the FDC party. He was arrested last year in Kenya together with his aide Obedi Lutaala, and is currently facing treason charges. One caller, Mr Pius Nyakambu, likened Mr Mafabi’s candidature to ‘hosting a party while there is a funeral in the same family.’ Another caller, Mr Abed Rubanda, asked what had become of the relationship between the FDC party and Dr Besigye.
Mr Rugasha Habuhutu questioned why the candidate had remained tight-lipped about Dr Besigye’s detention throughout his Kigezi campaign. Other callers challenged Mr Mafabi to state how many times he had visited Dr Besigye in prison since his arrest a year ago. In response, Mr Mafabi said he had stood surety for Dr Besigye in various courts of law, saying he does not ‘play to the gallery.’ On the question of prison visits, he referred the callers to the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), explaining that Dr Besigye now subscribes to a different political party. Mr Mafabi also criticised the NRM government for establishing an iron ore factory in Ntungamo District while the raw materials are found in the Kigezi region.
Meanwhile, the FDC national chairman, Mr Jack Sabiiti, accused residents of the Kigezi Sub-region of failing to demand for Dr Besigye’s release when President Museveni addressed several rallies in the area last month. ‘President Museveni was here in the Kigezi region last month, and nobody raised the issue of Dr Besigye’s detention. He even addressed a rally in the area where Dr Besigye was born, but no one raised the matter,’ Mr Sabiiti said. He added that the FDC had formally written to the government seeking an explanation for Dr Besigye’s prolonged detention but had not yet received a response.
‘All of us are sympathetic to Dr Besigye. We worked with him in founding the FDC party. Although disagreements arose, I do not wish to see Dr Besigye in prison,’ Mr Sabiiti said.
Mr Sabiiti urged Ugandans to vote for Mr Mafabi, citing his leadership potential, education, among others. Mr Mafabi also apologised to residents of Kabale District for failing to hold a campaign rally there, blaming poor road conditions encountered in Kisoro District. He promised to make arrangements to address FDC supporters in Kabale at a later date. Mr Mafabi explained that he squeezed his campaign programme because they were given a few days, and yet they do not have helicopters at their disposal like President Museveni.