Gulu district Chairman Ojara Martin Mapenduzi was on Friday night grilled in a heated meeting of Forum for Democratic Change members chaired by party President Mugisha Muntu, several sources that attended the Gulu meeting have told Acholi Times.
The meeting which took place at Pearl Afrique Hotel in Gulu town was convened to harmonise the FDC’s support for its candidates in the newly created Omoro district.
The FDC has fielded Simon Toolit Akecha for position of LCV Chairman and Prossy Alanyo Owiny woman member of parliament.
Simon Toolit is a former member of parliament for Omoro and a two-time contestant (2011&2016). In both instances he lost to Jacob Oulanyah, the deputy speaker of parliament.
Mapenduzi and three other FDC officials, Laroo Division Chairman Moses Abonga and Pece Division Chairman Kelly Komakech Gulu have refused to support Mr Toolit and are instead backing former Gulu NRM Chairman Okello Peter Douglas popularly known as Okao.
Mr Okello is a former Gulu Speaker and most recently was the district’s Vice Chairman before he resigned to contest for the Omoro LCV seat. He is running on an Independent ticket.
Mapenduzi’s support for Okao has caused division among party members and supporters. The Gulu FDC closed door meeting chaired by Muntu aimed at resolving the impasse.
The meeting was attended by FDC district executives, all candidates contesting in Omoro district, FDC members of parliament from the region and party members.
The Friday meeting is reported to have begun at 7:30 pm and ended at 1:30 am. It continued on till Saturday at midday.
A party member who attended the closed door meeting told Acholi Times that FDC party President Mugisha Muntu was infuriated by Mapenduzi’s stance of abandoning the party candidate and supporting an Independent.
According to the source, Muntu questioned those not supporting Mr Toolit why they were doing so if they are genuine party members.
The source added that Muntu castigated Mr Mapenduzi over his move and demanded he stop his support for Mr Okello and begin canvassing support for the party candidates.
Gen Muntu is also quoted to have told party members to ”aim at the bigger picture” and not ”focus on individual benefits” if the party is to win seats in newly created Omoro district.
”It’s not true that I was put to task. The meeting was for harmonization. I also clearly stated why I support Mr Okello since he is a new member. We struggled to pull from NRM party into FDC,” Mr Mapenduzi said on phone on Sunday. He said they had failed to reach agreement on the matter because the meeting ended late adding that he didn’t attend the second meeting(on Saturday) since he traveled to Tanzania for a meeting.
However, Chagga Oyat, the FDC secretary general told Acholi times in an interview that Mr Okello whom Mapenduzi is branding an FDC member is not a registered FDC member.
“Mr Okello has nothing to show that he is our member because he didn’t resign from NRM, and the FDC party has not formally received him. The whole idea is from Mapenduzi who is close with Okello,” Mr Oyat said.
Omoro LCV election will held on August 29. Five candidates are vying for the seat.
1 Comment
FDC Party in Acholi Region lacks proper planning and responsibility. Omoro is emerging a small District delegating power to the jurisdiction of its authority, is it a big issue or no trust?
Other Political Leaders always come to divide us on the campaign strategies at the last moment.Why not call a spade- a spade?