Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) have attacked President Yoweri Museveni for ‘disrespectfully’ calling a meeting with the KCCA councilors-elects, most of them on the FDC ticket, without informing the party top leadership.
The FDC Secretary General Nathan Nandala Mafabi told media on Monday that Museveni making contact with party leaders at any level without informing the party leadership undermined the operation of multiparty politics in the country.
“We have noted that government is using underhand methods to mobilize our leaders; we have decided that if Museveni is to meet leaders of our party in Kampala, he must first communicate to the Lord Mayor and the party leadership,” Nandala said.
The President on Sunday met with KCCA councilors from the five divisions of Kampala namely Central, Nakawa, Makindye, Rubaga and Kawempe. The meeting took place at State House Entebbe.
The leaders reportedly tabled grievances following a constitutional court petition seeking to eliminate councilors, divisional mayor-elects and members of parliament elect from the Capital City since it is not a district.
Following a court petition by one Mulindwa Muwonge, the Electoral Commission has since delayed gazzeting the elected leaders in Kampala.
However, those on the FDC ticket did not attend as they were summoned hastily at the party headquarters by President Gen. Mugisha Muntu on the same day.
“It is a sign of disrespect to our party aimed at weakening and undermining the opposition,” said Harold Kaija, the FDC Deputy Secretary General while speaking to Chimpreports yesterday.
President Museveni while addressing those who attended said, “You as councilors should not worry at all because it’s not your role to interpret what the law stipulates.”
The President called upon the Councilor-elects not to be misled by wrong elements and not to listen to the members of the opposition groups who move around inciting the public to participate in strikes that are not genuine to cause confusion. He advised them to instead respect the court process and await its outcome.