
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Special Elders Report was published on the 29th July 2023, but given to the Party President on the 13th July 2023. That’s why many of us dwelled on it and analysed it on the 30th July 2023. Today one member of the FDC and the Deputy Mayor of Kampala, Doreen Nyanjura have published her response to it.
The report itself was insignificant and lacking. It was a minute after minute of meetings, but no real flesh and blood. Only there to jade the waters and make the accusers look bad. The vilification of Dr. Kizza Besigye was obvious and the leadership of Najjanankumbi has continued on that path. That seems to be the only way they go. This is why I want to find the most key aspects of Nyanjura’s rebuttal and see what she retorts with.
She starts by saying this: “Article 20 of the FDC Party Constitution spells out the composition and functions of the National Council. A glance at the said article will show you that the National Council must have 250 members at a minimum” (…) “In this case, we have been told [by Hon. Salamu Musumba who addressed the press after the meeting] that the report was adopted by 66 members (58 voted for and 8 against). This falls below the one third threshold of at least 75 members. Hon. Nandala Mafabi, a lawyer and accountant of all people ought to know, preach and practise the best governance practices at least for the deepening of democracy and transparency in the management of party affairs” (Nyanjura, 30.07.2023).
If this is the case, then the National Council Meeting on the 28th July 2023 can be seen as “null and void”. That’s if the FDC leadership is honouring the party constitution and abides the codes of it. Alas, it seems like the Party President and Secretary General doesn’t mind or doesn’t care as long as they are exonerated.
She continues: “With reference to the foregoing, the impugned report by the Elders’ Committee does not show any attempts to establish and follow the money trail save for the verbal submissions of the persons they interacted with. Without any evidence of investigative effort made by the said Elders’ Committee, the report is not worth the paper on which it was printed and therefore MUST never have been submitted to the National Council” (Nyanjura, 30.07.2023).
Here she is stating the obvious and the reason why the Report is a shoddy piece of work. The Special Elders Reports lacks findings, proof or evidence. It is only hearsay and doesn’t have any sort of substance, which would clear the air or prove things otherwise. While it only disclose minor interactions and alleged activities, which isn’t resolving the matter.
She continues: “The impugned report highlights an estimated figure of 2.7 billion shillings [according to the Secretary General], we are not being told how much was borrowed from the ‘legitimate’ sources. Other than the verbal submissions of the party officials, there is no alternative evidence on the amount of money that was borrowed by the party from or by the Secretary General” (Nyanjura, 30.07.2023).
It is just compelling how in the open this is and what sort of charade the publication of the Report is. As it is so easy to digest and break to pieces. Just this here statement from Doreen Nyanjura shows how flawed it is and lacking credibility. As it is just all talk and no proof…
She dismisses the Secretary General: “In 6.3.7, the committee further claims that Hon. Nandala ‘demonstrated’ (I don’t know how) that the money was from ‘legitimate’ sources and he intimated that the money he lent to the party would be paid back with no interest. In just one paragraph, Hon.
Nandala morphed from being a mobiliser of the money to the actual lender to the Party. In short, he was the one who identified the funding gap[amount] to be filled, mobilised the lender, quickly became the lender and then wrote off the interest before going on to appropriate and spend the money. So, Hon. Nandala is/was the alpha and omega and star of this movie of dirty money. Unfortunately for him, he does not satisfactorily answer the question of who was the ‘lender’ or source of this money. In such circumstances, a reasonable guess is that the lender is a ghost or a heavenly angel!” (Nyanjura, 30.07.2023).
There was surely some angle dust involved and some other cheap tricks. Because, the Secretary General Nandala-Mafabi doesn’t dwell on facts or speak of how he got the cash. While there is leaks and informants who has acknowledge the sources from the State House. Which is something that the Secretary General doesn’t verify or speak of. Just that it’s a “legitimate source” whatever that might be…
She ends with: “Those of us who are dissatisfied with the conduct of the Party President, Secretary
General, Treasurer General and their acolytes especially around this issue of dirty money and the lengths to which they have gone to create a miscarriage of any processes pushing them to provide accountability need to embark on wide consultations with the membership of the party while imploring the dodgy leaders to do thorough soul searching. It does not matter how far you have travelled in the wrong direction, as long as you realise it and retrace your steps and move in the right direction” (Nyanjura, 30.07.2023).
In this here response Doreen Nyanjura just shows how clever she is and how thorough she can be. It was impressive and had more insights than the Special Elders Report. This here shows the finesse and the character of her as a politician. She totally destroys the report and rightfully so. I did so too, but with another manner and way.
The leadership of the FDC is sadly corrupted and has lost their way. The conclusion of Nyanjura gives hope, but if the Besigye fraction is allowed to enter these consultations and sideline Najjanankumbi. I am not so sure about and it will create more tension. Just like when Gen. Mugisha Muntu started his consultations ahead of the launch of a “New Formation” and later Alliance for National Transformation (ANT). Therefore, the Besigye camp is practically going in the same lane and got to consider where to go from here.
This was a great document and answer. I wonder if the FDC National Executive Committee (NEC) or the ones mentioned will retort to this one. Peace.








