Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) President, Patrick Amuriat, has disclosed that he had initially intended to contest for a Member of Parliament seat in Kumi district during the 2021 general elections. However, due to the party’s lack of a candidate for the Presidential elections, he was selected during a meeting chaired by Dr. Kizza Besigye to take on the challenge of running against President Yoweri Museveni.
Amuriat, who garnered 337,589 votes in the 2021 Presidential elections, revealed that he became a last-minute fix for the party as they sought a Presidential candidate.
In 2019, Besigye had already made it clear that he would not contest in the 2021 elections, despite attempts to pressure him to do so.
“We tried to persuade him as we did in 2016, but he remained firm. We searched for potential candidates, but everyone we approached declined,” Amuriat revealed during an interview on Urban TV.
During his campaigns, Amuriat said that he faced challenges within the party, with top leaders, including Ssemujju Nganda and Erias Lukwago, abandoning him.
Recently, Ssemujju Nganda accused Amuriat and Nandala Mafabi of allegedly attempting to sell FDC to President Yoweri Museveni. He questioned the source of the funds that were injected into the party during the 2021 elections, urging full transparency.
In response, Amuriat maintained that the funds did not come from President Museveni but from anonymous well-wishers. He also cited concerns for their funders’ safety as the reason for not revealing their identities.
Addressing the ongoing disputes within FDC, Amuriat said that they have deep-rooted historical origins, dating back to the party’s division into two camps in 2018; one supporting Besigye and the other Gen Mugisha Muntu.
“When we witnessed a significant split in 2018, with the Mugisha Muntu camp leaving FDC after the 2017 party election, some members who remained have been opposing my leadership,” he explained.
He reiterated that their internal committee is actively investigating the crisis.
The ongoing challenges within FDC have sparked debates over the party’s future and direction.