The Forum for Democratic Change party have announced Monday morning that they will not be appointing the Parliamentary Leader of Opposition for this commencing term, as they have done in the past.
The Party spokesperson Semujju Nganda told press today that this term’s Leader of Opposition in Parliament will not be coming from FDC “because FDC is not an opposition party, having won last February’s election.”
The unprecedented announcement comes in the middle of intensifying campaigns by some of the FDC members who were seeking to replace the outgoing LoP Hon. Wafula Oguttu.
Ordinarily,FDC owing to its numeral strength in Parliament over the other opposition parties, is supposed to select among its MPs the Parliamentary Leader of Opposition.
The L0P office which has in the past been a major cause of contention in FDC is currently being eyed by Dokolo Woman MP Cecilia Ogwal, Bugweri County MP Abdu Katuntu and Kasese Woman MP Hon Winnie Kiiza.
Others said to be interested include the former Leader of Opposition Prof Ogenga Latigo, MPs Kaaps Fungaroo, Elijah Okupa and Odonga Otto among others.
Nganda while addressing the party’s weekly press conference at the party’s head offices in Najjanankumbi said that while FDC doesn’t have the majority MPs in Parliament, they did win the February 18th Presidential elections and are therefore the ruling and not opposition party.
FDC has since February refused to accept the outcomes of the presidential elections in which their candidate Col Dr Kizza Besigye was announced runner-up with 35% of the poll, against the incumbent Yoweri Museveni who emerged winner with a little above 60%.
Dr Besigye went as far as taking oath as the country’s president elect, which landed him to Luzira Prison on alleged Treason Charges.
This morning, FDC’s top leadership was holding in a meeting at Najjanankumbi to deliberate on the party’s leadership at Parliament.
Nganda said only the Party Chief Whip’s office (currently held by Dokolo Woman MP Cecilia Ogwal) and the various committee leaders will be voted upon.
He added however, that they will appoint a party leader at Parliament like any other party, who will not be referred to as the Leader of Opposition.
“Like any other party in Parliament, we must have a leader; the party’s parliamentary group must have a leader and its upon you to determine his or her title,” he said.