The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party’s Najjanakumbi office has distanced itself from the recent arrests of several members allegedly linked to a controversial workshop in Kenya, saying those are masqueraders.
Nathan Mafabi Nandala, the Secretary General of FDC Najjanakumbi, denied being aware of any workshop that was held in Kenya, which their members were attending with the individuals in question.
“As FDC at Najjanakumbi, we would like to distance ourselves from the alleged FDC members arrested in Kenya last week and the said leadership workshop; those could be people well known to our other colleagues who claim to be leaders of FDC unofficially,” Nandala said.
Engineer Patrick Oboi Amuriat affirmed that the party is not associated with the workshop, asserting that the arrested members could have acted independently or could be associated with Dr. Kizza Besigye’s team that has unofficially continued to carry out party activities on behalf of FDC.
“We categorically reject any claims that the FDC is connected to the activities of those arrested. Our party operates within the framework of Ugandan laws and has no ties to any external workshops or meetings that contravene our values, nor do we subscribe to politics of defiance,” Amuriat noted.
FDC leaders at Najjanakumbi expressed concern over the implications of those claiming to be FDC supporters, questioning their intentions against the party and its leadership.
“Such claims give the party a bad name, and holding unauthorized activities on behalf of FDC tarnishes the party’s reputation and distracts from its ongoing efforts to promote democratic governance in Uganda,” Amuriat added.
The Najjanakumbi office reiterated its commitment to transparency and accountability, reinforcing that any actions taken by individual members do not reflect the party’s official stance.
The arrests, which occurred earlier this week, have sparked significant media attention and public speculation about the FDC’s involvement in activities beyond Uganda’s borders that may lead to disorganizing the country.
According to Amuriat, the party is expected to hold a press conference in the coming days to make more clarification on the issue and highlight its position on political engagements outside Uganda.
Over 36 members claiming to be FDC supporters at a one-week leadership workshop were arrested by Kenyan authorities, whom they accused of being in the country illegally. The people in question were, however, handed over to the Ugandan security agencies for further investigations.
