PARLIAMENT – Kasese Woman MP and Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Winfred Kiiza has said that she is still the Leader of Opposition because no communication has come to her pertaining to the matter.
“I have learnt from the media that I am no longer the Leader of Opposition in Parliament. I think my Party owes me a communication because as Kiiza I am not against anybody but I want the President to announce it officially because for me it’s a rumour,” Kiiza said.
During a press conference on Monday August 6 at Parliament, Kiiza accused some party members of using the party to advance their interests saying that changes are healthy and normal but should be in a transparent manner.
She accused some party members of dragging disagreements from the previous elections to kill the party. “For some of us elections have come and gone and we have moved on while others have not,” Kiiza said.
She called on the FDC President Patrick Oboi Amuriat to admit that the party is taking a huge toll on him instead of creating excuses.
“I was surprised to hear from media that the party president announced new leaders without any communication [to us]. I find it very unfortunate for him to say he has failed to get audience with me and this indicates that he is not in control of the leadership,” Kiiza said.
Kasilo County MP, Elijah Okupa said that it is wrong for the party to begin intrigue and for those who were opposed to Amuriat as the party president to be sidelined. Adding that they amended the constitution and any decision taken outside the constitution will put the FDC at risk.
“As members, our interest is to see the party thriving since several may be forced to join or form another party and FDC will be no more. This is not what we want to see. We have sacrificed a lot for our party including inhaling teargas,” Okupa added.
While addressing journalists at the FDC party headquarters in Najjanankumbi on Saturday 4, Amuriat said that the changes should not be treated as political persecution for those who did not support his presidency against Gen Mugisha Muntu but for the wellbeing of the party and the struggle to rid the country of the dictatorship that continues to torment Ugandans.
He also said the reshuffle is not a reaction to the party’s performance in the recent municipal elections.
In May this year, during the Second sitting of the First Session of the 10th Parliament shortly before President Museveni’s State of the Nation Address in May 2016, the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga tasked FDC to clarify on the Leader of Opposition.
However, she noted that neither in the Constitution of Uganda nor the Administration of Parliament Act or in our Rules of Procedure do we have a leader of the minority.
