The High Court in Kampala has issued an interim order blocking the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Party’s Extraordinary Delegates Conference, which was scheduled for September 19th.
The decision comes in response to a lawsuit filed by three FDC party members, Arafat Ntale Mwanja, Jamal Wante, and Marlick Ssazi, against their own party and its leadership, including President Patrick Oboi Amuriat and Secretary General Nathan Nandala Mafabi.
The lawsuit aimed to prevent the conference, which was communicated through a notice issued by the party Chairman Ambassador Wasswa Birigwa on August 15th, 2023.
The petitioners argued that the conference had been organized without their involvement and in a rushed and questionable manner.
They contended that this was done in bad faith, potentially causing harm to the party. They also claimed that the conference did not adhere to democratic principles outlined in the constitution and violated the Political Parties and Other Organizations Act of 2005.
Furthermore, they highlighted that crucial party figures, such as the Treasurer General and heads of caucuses, had been excluded from the conference preparations.
The consent agreement between the petitioners and FDC was endorsed by Judge Esta Nambayo as an interim injunction. It prohibits the holding of the Extraordinary National Delegates Conference until the final disposition of the main application or until further court orders. The case is scheduled for a hearing on September 18th.
Amuriat and Mafabi distanced themselves from the conference, stating that it was not planned or budgeted for by the party.
Additionally, the Police’s Director of Operations, Assistant Inspector General of Police John Nuwagira, announced that the police would not provide security for the conference due to conflicting letters from Birigwa and Mafabi regarding the event.
The FDC has been grappling with internal conflicts related to allegations of undisclosed funding in the 2021 general elections. Although an independent investigation cleared the party of these allegations, tensions persist, leading to a factional divide within the party.
One faction is led by Amuriat and Nandala Mafabi, while the other is led by former FDC President Kizza Besigye, Kampala City Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, and Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda. These conflicts continue to challenge the unity and stability of the FDC.