There are rules and regulations as the 10th Parliament are starting the Forum for Democratic Change National Executive Committee had talks and a meeting where the FDC top management was certainly discussing its policies and who to challenge for the shadow government, as much as it is to become the Leader of the Opposition (LOP) in the Parliament.
But with the Intimidation, with the detainees, with the Police Force monitoring the Party and the members lingering in prisons and at police post, all the forged up charges against members and leader of party; while still the defiance campaign have been made illegal, but good news to hear that the Forum for Democratic Change Headquarters are not besieged and a crime scene anymore.
The FDC have to make smart and wise decisions, not the ones of Professor Baryamureeba who recently wanted the FDC to be loyal to the Parliament and change tune to make it possible for NRM and the regime to work without fuzz and create havoc. Well, the FDC should not follow men who are loyal to NRM and Museveni, as they are not supposed to follow that party-line as they have already standing legal issues and other aspects of being intimidated and harassing members, even torture of FDC leaders. That should worry the leadership and not silencing them, because that is all that the NRM Regime has right now.
FDC had the votes and the real crowds during the pre-election period and on Election Day for a change of guard and wishing to usher in Dr. Kizza Besigye. That was there, but the Electoral Commission and other forces have done whatever needed to rig and destroy proof of conspiracy of the electoral rigging and sham election. That even now after the EU and other Western Powers accepts, even if they know this.
That certain hardliners will claim that the ones in Parliament from the FDC that goes into the Shadow Government are traitors are understandable, even if they are not so, as in fact they are just doing a duty that are bound by the rules of Parliament. Still, they should have defied this and stay loyal to the President who are detained instead of thinking of their pockets and honors in the chambers; at the same time we cannot expect all lines of a party be such Nobel as the hardest wishes for change that are in the FDC. I am sure that certain parts of the ANC was not happy that after the releasing of Nelson Mandela from prison back in the day, that he went and still negotiated with the ruling regime and the last part of the minority rule in South Africa. I am certain that some of his close allies hated that he did so, but that mended the fences between the old and new, so South Africa had some sorts of softer landing after the election after years of struggle against the Apartheid regime.
Why I am saying this, is because the same will initially happen with certain members of FDC and certain opposition fractions, not talking about the UPC, most of them have already sold the party to National Resistance Movement, after the agreement between Hon. Akena and Museveni. That certain Democratic Party members are also in tail with the NRM are to be seen and should not flabbergast anybody, that independent candidates and MPs are naturally for MPs after this elections, as the independent are often NRM Primaries losers, who run again on their own ticket and was even facilitated by Museveni and the State House.
The FDC should be wise now and not self-destruct as the intimidation and the aggression have been so high. That certain member’s wants glory in parliament is to be understandable, as some wants to eat and are clinging on the Regime and the rules of Parliament instead of direct hardline loyalty!
There will be the ones who are more ideological for the struggle against the aggressor and the ones who eat of the state and take it for it is own gain, not-so-honorable Museveni and his elite. The Police Force are following the FDC and are looking for the men and woman they also can control, as the NRM wants to own the country and have everybody under line and the vision of Museveni. That is known, so if there moles and un-loyal people in the FDC, that should be expected. But we should not quickly drag the FDC who are fighting for the LOP or Shadow Cabinet position as they want to have a position in Parliament and have name in print. People are vain; politicians are even vainer and have more vanity as they want glory and capital.
The FDC should ask them what they want to be, as if they want to recognize the “Elected” Parliament and the “Elected” President. As the members and loyal supporters should ask if they want accept business as usual as they know with that, that the stakes of fortunes of crude oil and other resources will not benefit the Ugandan State, instead the Museveni Elite.
What would be interesting is how Dr. Kizza Besigye would take the persons and feel about the men and woman who accept a shadow government position since he is risking everything; while certain allies of him is in a way showing credibility like EU delegates after the walkout of the Swearing-In. The non-sense of attacking them directly and self-destruction is not advisory; it is more of the long-term process of knowing who is really wanting the democratic change and who wanted quickly to earn bucks on the Political Capital that a man of the stature of Besigye.
That is an important to ask, as the people who votes for a candidate and the ones that candidate endorse, together with the loyalty of party-line and the initially wish of actually making a difference. That is what the FDC have to ask as they, have been through wind and fire during the recent months and days. The Police Force and Army have attacked together with the Judiciary have used all methods to silence and all kind of types of aggression to bring the FDC to their knees. No questions as even FDC leaders been taken without warrants from their own homes into cars and driven from Kampala to Northern towns of Gulu/Lira and so on, in safe-houses to be tortured.
With that in mind, the FDC have to ask how much and who will stand by and be the ones that want to collaborate with the Regime that does that to fellow brothers and sisters. That the regime has uses tear-gas and guns against citizens, and the ones that arrest demonstrators instead of letting them demonstrate against the regime peacefully, something they should not be allowed to do. Therefore the questions are open and should be asked. What kind of party does FDC want to be? Certainly not sell their soul and party as Hon. Akena did during the Pre-Election Period. Since their “Presidential Candidate” and the ones Sworn-In before the Treason Charge is lingering now in Luzira, while the FDC NEC is playing shadows games that Museveni will enjoy.
The only one winning on the political inner-battle is not Besigye, is not the voters who voted for Besigye and the FDC. The ones that wins on internal battle of the Party is the NRM and their Museveni. Just as he did with UPC between Akena and Otunnu, as he has earned on the weakness of DP and their leaders endorsement of Mbabazi, Hon. Mao. There are too many Opposition parties and leaders who haven’t matched the Machiavellian and Orwellian leader of Museveni. Only one seems to have the stamina and diligence and that is Besigye. He is not totally perfect, he is human and has his weakness, still all his hardliner and ethical standpoints are there and components are there now and he seems to be the only one. As he have fought and fought ever since leaving the NRM.
Now is the time for FDC to decide on ONE primary question; either they are legitimizing the NRM and Museveni with his 10th Parliament with his selected candidates; if not doing so, they should defy the Parliament and the rules; show that they are really the ones who have the legitimacy of the people and does not need the stolen government funds that Museveni will spoil to the ones who are dancing to his tune. Peace.
MinBane 