On Monday, members of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), National Unity Platform (NUP), Justice Forum (JEEMA), and People’s Progressive Party (PPP) signed a cooperation agreement to unite against their common enemy; the National Resistance Movement (NRM).
The agreement follows the alleged vote rigging in the Soroti East by- election where NRM’s Herbert Edmund Ariko emerged the winner against his close rival FDC’s Moses Attan.
According to the signed statement, the experiences of the opposition parties in the Soroti, Omoro, and Kayunga by-elections prompted their unity, alleging NRM for outright vote rigging, and stuffing.
Speaking to Ibrahim Semujju Nganda, the FDC spokesperson, and Kira Municipality MP, he stated that the situation had gone from bad to worse in by- elections creating a reason for them to co-operate.
“The discussion we had also included proposals of boycotting these elections. If we have to, there must be a reason for doing so. We jointly spoke to the country but also addressed the issue of unity to fight the impunity of NRM agents and leaders,” he said
“Once we achieve this or even before we do, we will continue working differently but also jointly on issues of mutual interest. Therefore, the statement was not a legal commitment that we are forming a united formation but it was an expression of the intent,” Hon. Semujju explained.
He explained that their unification came merely as a coincidence with Mao’s appointment by President Museveni as a Justice Minister, but their primary interest is finding a solution to the increasing “vote rigging” fostered by the NRM in the previous by-elections.
“It has nothing to do with Mao getting married to NRM. The timing is just a coincidence because we both have candidates robbed of their victories by the NRM in Kayunga, Omoro, and now Soroti. As such, the Soroti East by-election is the only reason we came together,” he emphasized.
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