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Amuru, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Forum for Democratic Change – FDC party has started engaging individuals intending to contest for various political positions in Acholi sub-region ahead of the 2021 general elections.
The move, spearheaded by Reagan Okumu, the Aswa County MP and FDC National Vice President, targets aspirants who have shown interests for the village, Parish, sub-county, urban councils, councillors, district chairpersons and parliamentary positions.
Okumu explains that the party is striving to build in-house consensus and compromise among candidates seeking elective positions, by trimming the number of aspirants. By so doing, he says, the party will avoid wasting resources on primaries, while at the same time consolidating unity among its members.
“We want to identify strong candidates for all available positions and avoid subjecting them to primary elections which would cause disintegration, sow seeds of hatred and weaken the party to the advantage of rivals,” Okumu said.
Geoffrey Omony, a contestant for the leadership of Pabbo Sub-County welcomes the move saying that it may help to avoid tensions among party subscribers. However, he notes that errant members will still defy such an initiative.
Amuru District Woman MP Lucy Akello told URN that primaries can be manipulated adding that seeking a compromise among competing candidates is a better approach.
But the move to strike a compromise between incumbent Kilak North County MP, Anthony Akol and John Bosco Ocan, the District Vice-Chairperson who are both vying for the party flag hit a snag after the two failed to harmonize their position.
On Saturday, Okumu harmonized contenders in Aswa County, his constituency before undertaking the same in Kilak North. Today, he will negotiate with candidates in Kilak South Constituency all in Amuru before heading to Lamwo and Kitgum Districts.
Okumu is a founding member of the party and was the first Secretary-General who later became the FDC National Vice Chairperson for Northern Uganda. In August, he, and Christopher Acire, the former Gulu Municipality MP reconciled, ending a disagreement spanning over a decade.
The reunion, brokered by party President Patrick Amuriat Oboi aimed at safeguarding FDC against further degeneration following the massive departure of its members, who are joining other opposition groups, mainly the Alliance for National Transformation and the National Unity Platform.
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