Andrew Bazibu
True to his humble self, opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) President Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu has denied he is the party’s flag bearer yet and insists that the choice is left to the party’s General Assembly that will choose its representative for the coming general elections in 2016.
The former army commander made the comment recently while addressing a party rally at Kireku playgrounds, Nakibizzi subcounty in Buikwe District in one of his recent trips to mobilize grassroots support for his party.
“I hear people asking me about the Manifesto for 2016 but I want to assure you that I am not the party flag bearer.
My work is to strengthen the party as we prepare to elect the flag-bearer whom we shall all collectively support and even if I get one vote, I will admit defeat and support whoever will be elected and he is the one who will be responsible for unveiling the manifesto,” said Muntu.
Muntu, known for his undercover operations, said he wanted to cultivate ground-up support for his party if it stands any chance of getting into power.
The former army commander scoffed at his critics who accuse him of being a mole or spy for the ruling NRM party.
He told critics that he would not be wasting time traversing all 112 districts of Uganda if her didn’t truly believe in the mission of liberating the country from NRM’s destruction.
But even as he explained his grassroots campaign as being superior to his predecessor Col. Kizza Besigye’s of open protests, a number of people still doubt his strategy.
At Njeru town for example, Gen. Muntu was told by one Wycliff Kakaire, an aspirant for Njeru town council chairmanship, that his quiet approach is killing the party.
Kakaire said: “Members say you are a puppet or spy because they don’t see you in activism of mounting pressure on the government,. This is why some people doubt you but you can tell us how you are handling the party,” Wycliffe said.
In response, Muntu said there is no strong and serious criticism better than sensitizing the masses.
“I am a former army commander and I know that my work as a leader of the party is to lure the public confidence and understanding of the problem rather than you seeing me on the street protesting alone” he replied.
Muntu urged FDC to find candidates at every elective post if they are to fight for survival on the political scene.
