The opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) is very much concerned with the political successes and popularity of Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi, Ssemujju Nganda has said.
Ssemujju was responding to a question on whether the recent activities and actions of largest opposition party are not a reaction to the rising popularity of Bobi Wine during a radio talkshow The Capital Gang, on Saturday morning moderated by Simon Kasyate.
Kyagulanyi also called Bobi Wine is the leader of the People Power movement, a political pressure group in Uganda that rallies support from all political ideologies with hope to dislodge the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) from power.
“You (read FDC) would be stupid not to be concerned that people power is rising because we are a different political platform competing for the same political space” Hon Ssemujju reasoned.
Kiira Municipality MP Hon. Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda who is also the FDC party Spokesperson said as a legitimate political party FDC has been consistent in its operations ever since it was formed, and therefore the recent activities couldn’t have been triggered by the emergence of a seemingly stronger force in Uganda’s political opposition.
The discussion focused on a botched FDC meeting at Mandela National Stadium Namboole on Monday that culminated into scuffles between the police and FDC strongman Dr. Kiiza Besigye. Ever since, the high-handedness of police have dominated public discourse and the media in Uganda prompting a section of political analysts to come up with theories that the opposition sometimes force the confrontations with police as a way of gaining sympathy and media coverage.
Ssemujju said it is extremely unfair to accuse FDC of the “crimes” police committed against their members on that day, saying the meeting was in no way intended to attract public attention or sympathy owing to the remoteness of the venue, and the fact that the organizers had sought collaboration with police only to later be confronted with brute force.
He however said FDC is not only concerned about the emergence of new political groupings in Uganda but also other political actors like the Democratic Party (DP), and Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) with whom they share political space.
Ssemujju’s statements however contrast with former party president and founder Dr. Kiiza Besigye whose reaction over the same matter has been that FDC is only concerned with removal of the ruling NRM government instead of an “equally oppressed” opposition.