The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) is likely to back Democratic Party (DP) president Norbert Mao for the Gulu municipality parliamentary seat.
This follows failure by FDC supporters including Christopher Acire, the current MP for Gulu municipality to pick party nomination forms. Acire won the seat in the 2011 on the FDC party ticket.
Gulu FDC Chairman, Simon Toolit Akecha says picking nomination forms for all the elective positions was closed by the party on October 23.
Akecha says in the case of Gulu municipality, the FDC is left with no option but support a candidate from another opposition party.According to Akecha, the FDC has also failed to zero on a candidate for the newly created Tochi County in Omoro.
The FDC party Vice President for the North, Reagan Okumu said under the loose Opposition coalition, The Democratic Alliance (TDA), they can support a candidate from other parties that have subscribed to the alliance.
According to Okumu, his party has no problem backing candidates from the DP, JEMA, Conservative Party (CP) or Uganda People’s Congress (UPC).
Mao has already expressed interest in seeking for election for the Gulu municipality seat which he in the past represented for two terms.
In a recent talk show on radio Rupiny, the Gulu woman member of parliament, Betty Aol said ‘‘Mao is their[FDC] candidate in Gulu municipality.’’
Current municipality MP Christopher Acire has been unclear whenever asked by voters as to what his next move will be; whether he will seek reelection in the municipality for go for some other seat.
On Sunday last week while appearing on his own radio, he said he will announce his next move at an appropriate time.
His remarks come at a time he is facing criticism from leaders within Acholi sub-region and his constituents over his competence to steer Gulu municipality to development.
Mao’s likely return to contest for the Gulu municipality seat is compelled by a wide perception that there is a leadership gap in the Acholi sub region which has led to a less than robust defence and articulation of Acholi interests especially on the powder-keg issue of land and post conflict recovery and development.
By James Owich
