The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) national mobiliser, Ingrid Turinawe, has defied orders of the FDC secretary general, Nandala Mafabi, and got nominated as an independent for the Rukungiri Municipality MP seat.
Turinawe lost the FDC primaries to Dr Wallen Nuwamanya, who she accused of manipulating voters by giving them money and alcohol.
Mafabi warned Turinawe to desist from contesting as an independent, saying it would divide the FDC support and work in favour of the NRM candidate.
“As national leaders, we must be examples to others. We must respect the decision of our committees and support whoever is elected to raise our flag,” Mafabi said in the reconciliation meeting held at Hotel Heritage, Rukungiri last week.
He said Turinawe was not the first aspirant to lose elections, citing the incumbent municipality MP, Roland Mugume, who lost and has not contested as an independent.
Turinawe was nominated at 3:30 pm on Friday accompanied by a number of FDC supporters, but the Police blocked them from accessing the nomination venue.
Turinawe said as one of the FDC founders, they were taught to be defiant, which she is now practising.
“When you teach your child to steal, you do not cry that he has stolen your cow because he is practising what you taught him,” she said.
“We have been defying many of the Government directives. When I bring it to our house, they say it is not okay,” she added. “I consulted voters before I made this decision. I have the backup from my people who will support me until I get into Parliament,” Turinawe added.
She said no one will chase her from FDC because she has contributed to its growth and has sacrificed for the party.
“Although I am now independent, I am still a member of FDC and no one can separate me from my party. All those who accompanied me are FDC members, although I will need all the parties since I am an independent,” she said.
Turinawe added that she was once in the ruling party, but left because of their method of work of buying votes. She said the vice has, unfortunately, penetrated into FDC.