The news of former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party president Gen. Mugisha Muntu quitting the party have Tuesday emerged via social media and various other media outlets.
Muntu, in a letter which The Tower Post has seen, says that the decision was reached following consultations that he carried out between January 15th 2018 and September 7th 2018.
“I today held a meeting with party president of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Hon. Patrick Oboi Amuriat to discuss our findings and resolutions. I hereby inform the country of my decision to leave the party,” Muntu’s statement reads in part.
The former UPDF Army commander led FDC as party president from 2012 until 2017 when he was defeated by Hon. Patrick Oboi Amuriat, the incumbent.
Earlier in 2016, he had contested to become FDC’s presidential flag bearer but was defeated by Dr. Kizza Besigye.
Why Did Muntu Leave FDC?
Many reasons can be cited as to why Muguisha Muntu made the decision to quit FDC which is still the country’s biggest and strongest opposition party.
Most of the reasons span from the post 2016 presidential election events that were characterised by chaos and arrests in the country.
1. Division with in the FDC
Following the 2016 presidential elections, a faction of FDC who believed that the then Presidential candidate Kizza Besigye had won, launched a defiance campaign.
The campaign was meant to mount pressure on the NRM and President Museveni who had been declared winner to order a recount of the votes or have a dialogue with Besigye.
The campaign was however marred with chaos and arrests before they decided to hold a parallel swearing ceremony, declaring Besigye as the duly elected President of Uganda.
But to the dismay of the party’s ‘radical’ members, Mugisha Muntu was not so actively involved in the activities.
This would later create speculation that Muntu had all along been a mole planted by the ruling NRM into the opposition to derail them from the path to oust Museveni hence causing divisions in the party.
This however could not be proven.
2. Forming another Party
Another reason surrounding the General’s decision could be that he plans to form another Political party which he thinks will do better than FDC.
Muntu believes in forming and developing party structures from the grassroot contrary to his predecessor Kizza Besigye whose mobilisation had been around Kampala and other urban places.
He is backed by opposition stalwarts including Angeline Osege, Abdu Katuntu, Reagan Okumu, Winnie Kiiza, Kassiano Wadri among others.
This website has learnt that he has been advised to start a separate party with a new symbol of the watch that would “inspire a new generation” of people to take power in the next elections.
It should also be noted that Muntu has over time been praised as a visionary man by elites within the government and the opposition, a man with the needed potential to rule the country.
Many such people have also questioned his decision to join and align with the FDC which they continue to refer to as a group of radical politicians.
If Muntu forms a parallel party, it will not only be a blow to the FDC but also to the NRM since a number of Museveni loyalists may choose to join him.
3. Joining Bobi Wine’s People Power Movement.
Over the recent past, ties between Kyadondo East Legislator Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine have been seen to strengthen.
Muntu and Bobi Wine were both seen in Arua campaigning for independent candidate Kassiano Wadri against the official FDC flag bearer. Bobi Wine is also an independent Member of Parliament.
The retired General was also quoted by tri-weekly newspaper The Observer as saying that Bobi Wine’s People Power could swallow FDC.
A union between Bobi Wine and Mugisha Muntu could pose a strong threat and hence steep competition against Museveni in the coming elections.
Bobi Wine is famous among the local people while Muntu has the backing of the elite because of his vision and strategies that have been tested.
4. Nationwide Consultations
Despite what we may believe because of the circumstances in place, Muntu stated that his decision was premised on findings of his nationwide consultations whose details he didn’t devulge in his statement.
