Last week, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) leadership sitting at the party headquarters Najjanakumbi rushed to Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama’s Uganda Independent Electoral Commission Offices at Bugolobi a Kampala suburb to stop a clandestine process aimed at deregistering their party.

Highly placed sources at Electoral Commission revealed to theGrapevine that among the FDC leaders who stormed the Electoral Commission Offices include; Nathan Nandala Mafabi, the party Secretary General and Yusuf Nsibambi, one of the founders of the FDC and a seasoned lawyer.

At the Electoral Commission offices, Mafabi and team establish that the tip they had received about some strangers who were conniving with some Electoral Commission staff to temper with their file was very true.

Sources claim that a number of essential documents including the file containing the list of newly elected leaders from the grass root was pulled out and was missing from the file.

Sources said that Mafabi had to rush back to their Najjanankumbi office to get the new list of the leaders and put it back into the file.

Last week, after being nominated to contest for the position of the party national vice president in charge of Buganda, Nsibambi told party members at Najjanankumbi that all efforts by Dr. Kizza Besigye’s Katonga faction to register their passed resolution at their illegal extra-delegates conference failed because they are not recognised by the Electoral Commission which is the supreme supervisor of all political parties in the country.

He explained that it is only the Najjanankumbi faction that is recognised by the Electoral Commission because it has the party stamp.

He guided that all people who wish to stand on FDC ticket in the coming 2026 general elections have to get recommendation from Najjanakumbi not Katonga.

FDC insiders told theGrapevine that the reason why Dr. Besigye’s Katonga team were fighting hard to make sure that Birigwa’s extraordinary delegates conference is held was they wanted to get resolutions to deregister FDC in order to frustrate Mafabi’s faction.

The move was kept secret and not publicly announced like other resolutions that were passed and announced by Kira Municipality legislator Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, the party spokesperson.

Besigye faction held their delegates conference in the presence of the Court Order issued by the Civil Division of the High Court stopping it.

Sources claim that the list of names pulled out of the FDC file at the Electoral Commission was set to be replaced with the names of people who attended Birigwa’s extra-ordinary delegates’ conference.

The FDC Constitution allows that the party can be deregistered if a resolution is passed by the party’s top organ.

This is what Besigye’s group wanted to successfully execute so that they make Mafabi’s coming delegates conference illegal.

Nsibambi confirmed that the only delegates conference that is going to elect the new party leadership will be held on 6^th October, 2023.

However, Mubarak Munyagwa, the former Kawempe South legislator who is also Dr. Kizza Besigye’s diehard denied the allegations that the Electoral Commission declined to receive the resolutions made at Birigwa’s delegates conference insisting that there is no way their resolutions can be denied.

He explained that their acting Secretary General, appointed at Birigwa’s meeting Harold Kaija will file their resolutions with the Electoral Commission before the end of this week.

When contacted, Paul Bukenya the spokesperson of the Electoral Commission declined to comment on the matter. He advised FDC members to clean their house internally instead of using the Electoral Commission to fight their battles.

Last week, Justice Byabakama pleaded with both parties fighting over FDC leadership to follow the country’s laws and laws that govern political parties.

He explained that the Electoral Commission has not yet been officially informed about the ongoing wars apart from seeing correspondence from both parties on social media.

By Sengooba Alirabaki

The Makindye Division Mayor Ali Kasirye Mulyanyama, a blue eyed boy to National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (Bobi Wine) has warned his party members to be very careful with Kampala Lord mayor Ssalongo Erias Lukwago who he branded a vampire.

Mulyanyama branded Lukwago a war monger who cannot be at peace but finds pleasure in picking up fights with other people.

It is at this point that Mulyanyama branded Lukwago a vampire who is always smelling for blood.

He explained that Lukwago is using these wars to seek popularity from the gullible local people who think that he is fighting for them but in reality, he is looking for personal gains.

Mulyanyama was commenting on the fresh verbal ongoing fight between Lukwano and Kampala State Minister Joseph Kabuye Kyafatogabye over road construction in the city.

Kabuye accuses Lukwago of frustrating road construction in the city because he wants to achieve political gains.

However, Lukwago insists that government officials like Kabuye are undermining the resolutions and proposals of the elected leaders in the city with the mission of placing them in bad light before their voters.

Political commentator and also the senior presidential advisor on media Joseph Tamale Mirundi recently revealed that Lukwago is going to use his new position as the leader of Katonga Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) faction to achieve his 2026 presidential ambition.

Mirundi claims that the four presidential candidates Dr. Kizza Besigye is going to make sure that Lukwago, who he mentored politically has plans to stand for presidency come 2026.

He explained that Lukwago’s presidential candidature will cost Bobi Wine badly in his strong areas of Buganda and among the Muslim community.

Mirundi added that Lukwago’s candidature is going to bring together the Muslim sects which include; that of Old Kampala led by mufti Sheikh Shaban Ramathan Mubajje, Kibuli faction led by Prince Dr. Kassim Nakibinge Kakungulu and the Tabliq sect led by Sheikh Muhammad Yunus Kamoga.

“Bobi Wine is gone, the only person who can save him is Buganda King Ronald Muwenda Mutebi or Prince Nakibinge who have the power to convince Lukwago to drop his presidential ambitions otherwise Bobi Wine will bleed,”’ Mirundi said.

Sources within Katonga camp revealed that very soon, they are going to unveil their political pressure group which is expected to be named ‘One Uganda One Dream’.

The Katonga group want to use this pressure group as a political motor vehicle come 2026.

Insiders in NUP that theGrapevine talked to during the course of investigating this story disclosed that Lukwago’s political calculation is to threaten that he is standing for presidency so that he catches the eye of Bobi Wine who will fear splitting the Buganda and Muslim community vote.

“Lukwago has calculated that because of this fear, Bobi Wine will enter a deal with him which will involve ring fencing his Lord Mayor position so that NUP do not front a candidate in 2026,” the insider said.

Sources disclosed that once Bobi Wine makes such a decision, Mulyanyama, Kawempe Division mayor Emmanuel Sserunjogi and Kampala city speaker Zahara Luyirika who are competing for the NUP ticket for Lord Mayor slot will be badly affected.

Sources in the FDC told Grapevine that they are set to front former Makindye East legislator Ibrahim Kasozi.

National Resistance Movement (NRM) is set to front Kampala Central Division mayor Salim Uhuru.

By Sengooba Alirabaki

The newly elected interim president of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) in Besigye’s Katonga camp who also doubles as the Kampala city Lord Mayor Ssalongo Erias Lukwago has confirmed that he is going to use the six month period given to him to intensify his battle for change which includes putting an end to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s long rule.

Lukwago was declared interim president of FDC in the highly contested Extra-Ordinary Delegates Conference summoned by the party national chairperson Wasswa Birigwa.

In the meeting held at Dr. Kizza Besigye’s Katonga road offices,  Patrick Amuriat Oboi the previous president was suspended and he was replaced with Lukwago.

A resolution was also passed that Amuriat be subjected to investigation on allegation of receiving billions of shillings from President Museveni’s government, funds he used to facilitate his 2021 campaigns.

Amuriat will be investigated together with the party Secretary General Nathan Nandala Mafabi and party treasurer Geoffrey Ekanya on the same allegation.

However, it should be clear that early this year, FDC party elders committee chaired by Dr. Frank Nabwiso exonerated the accused persons in their report which was trashed by Dr. Besigye and his colleagues.

In his statement, Lukwago told journalists at Katonga immediately after being declared interim FDC leader that he is going to make sure that he builds links with other political forces of change to make sure that Museveni’s government is overthrown before 2026.

Highly placed sources in Dr. Besigye’s camp told theGrapevine that Besigye and his team are anxiously waiting for National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine’s decision on the offer they delivered to him to change his political strategy in the fight against Museveni.

Sources said that Besigye’s team proposed to Bobi Wine that they should join hands and restore defiance campaigns including demonstrations against what they called President Museveni’s bad leadership especially on failing to solve the problem of the bad economy.

Sources claim that in one of the meetings, Besigye assured Bobi Wine that the political ground is currently very fertile because most Ugandans have already started feeling government’s failure to solve their economic problems in their pockets and many are ready for protests.

Sources added that Besigye was supposed to meet Bobi Wine immediately after concluding his countrywide political tour but the meeting did not take place because Bobi Wine quickly traveled to Canada to meet his supporters in the diaspora and hold music shows.

Sources said that after Canada, Bobi Wine is expected to cross to the United States of America and conclude his international political tour in South Africa.

In all these places, he will make political consultations and music shows.

A ticket to attend his music show is between $300-$500 dollars and a table is between $1500 and $2000 dollars.

Bobi Wine’s political assistant and also the Lubaga Division NUP youth leader explained to theGrapevine that the reason why his boss traveled abroad is because he wants to consult them on how to restructure the political struggle against Museveni.

“Our Principal respects all Ugandans. Those here and abroad and he is very sure that with them, political change is possible here. Those people in the diaspora play a big role especially financially and we saw this in the 2021 presidential campaigns. The Principal values their views,” Katongole said.

Source added that Bobi Wine travelled with his wife Barbra Itungo Kyagulanyi, party spokesperson and also Nakawa West legislator Joel Ssenyonyi, Secretary General Lewis Rubongoya among others.

He is expected to meet his international funders and political strategists. Sources further explained that Bobi Wine is expected to base on the advice he will get from his consultations abroad to answer Besigye’s proposal on whether to join his defiance or not.

Wakiso district woman Member of Parliament Betty Naluyima revealed that once Bobi Wine returns back into the country, the party will release guidelines on the second phase of their tours.

“The concluded countrywide tour was very successful because we woke up our people and now they know what to do. Police cannot guide us on what to do because it is clear that we have to just inform them about our political programs,” Naluyima said.

She further revealed that they have started compiling a list of people holding top government offices including those running authorities, agencies and in security to prove the statements Bobi Wine made while in Luwero district that president Museveni’s government promotes and practices tribalism and Nepotism.

However, sources in Besigye’s camp told theGrapevine that they are ready to join Bobi Wine in his next phase of political campaign especially on defying police’s orders stopping Bobi Wine’s countrywide political tour.

Senior presidential advisor on media Joseph Tamale Mirundi recently warned security that Bobi Wine, Lukwago and Besigye’s political coalition is going to be very deadly this time.

He explained that it was not a mistake for Besigye to support Lukwago in his quest to become FDC’s interim leader.

He added that he wants to test him to examine whether he has learnt the politics of defiance which he has been teaching him.

He added that because Lukwago wants to prove to his mentor and the entire opposition is determined to lead the fight against Museveni, he is going to be very determined once Bobi Wine accepts to join him, and Kampala will be on fire.

“Very soon you’re going to hear that Lukwago and Bobi Wine are going to talk to business people in Kisekka market to establish their problems since he is Kampala Lord Mayor and if police stops them, they will use force to get there,” Mirundi said.

During his tour in Luwero, Bobi Wine mobilized his supporters to use whatever means possible to fight Museveni and overthrow his government.

Fred Enanga the police spokesperson claims that Bobi Wine and his NUP supporters have been provoking them in their recent countrywide tours because they wanted police to attack them so that they can cause commotion and get news headlines.

He revealed that police leadership ordered policemen to supervise Bobi Wine’s countrywide political tours but cautioned them to make sure that they don’t fall into Bobi Wine’s trap once provoked.

By Sengooba Alirabaki