FDC recounts the highs & lows encountered in the year 2022

The President of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Patrick Oboi Amuriat, today at their head office in Nanjanankumbi addressed a press conference at which he delivered the party’s end-of-year address reproduced below.

Countrywomen and men, I greet you in the name of one Uganda one people

The year 2022 has been a rather tough one from the political rag tags, the ragged terrain though with some positives to bank on, the struggle for democracy continues nevertheless.

Our beloved Uganda’s Mother Nature has continued to gift us with so much of its fresh breathing air, the bright Sun and the rains which have been pertinent to the growing of food to feed the ever-growing Ugandan 40 million plus population. 

Fellow citizens, today I am privileged to address the country about key highs and lows that transpired in our political arena in the concluding year, which for certain affects every aspect of life, where our democracy stands in these trying political and economic times as the two are fist fighting for survival space instead of being complementary to each other. 

But firstly and sadly I wish to recognize some of the FDC’s reputable cadres and gallant Ugandans who have left us since the year began and commiserating with their families and friends, appreciating the enormous contributions they made towards the development of the nation.

May their souls rest in peace. 

FDC has rather had a prosperous year as a political party as elucidated below; 

ELECTIONS  

The use of brutal military force, intimidation, excessive money and outright vote rigging continue to characterize our election processes, requiring the deliberate building of teams to counter these negative vices;

This no withstanding the FDC managed to field candidates in the various Bye-elections which were mainly marred by violence mated on us by the NRM regime.

Contextually, these by-elections took the form of military operations and as has happened before fell short of being free, fair and credible democratic processes.

These by-elections showed the high level of impunity, adamancy and brute force the NRM regime is ready to impose on Ugandan citizens even in the elections to follow.

We Carried out countrywide post-election evaluation and assessment meetings with up to 95% of the country covered, with the exception of Karamoja and West Buganda due to insecurity and the outbreak of Ebola respectively being hindrances. 

NATIONAL POLITICAL SITUATION 

This has been a far cry dream, especially with the government in power with sheer determination to muzzle every other voice of dissent in its pursuit to retain power, while trying to portray herself as a democratic and peoples’ centered government.

The FDC’s continued struggle to achieve democracy and the rule of law in the country will continue even well knowing that all the institutions of the State are fully captured by people posturing as the country’s saviors. The state has as always been in cahoots with security machinery and an array of operatives like the RDCs in the practice of jailing, beating  and shooting at political actors and supporters whose only crime was to stand up to the truth and exercise their constitutional rights as enshrined in Chapter Four of our National Constitution.

NATIONAL ECONOMY 

In summary, all the spheres of life in our nation have been slumping due to a couple of factors contributing to continued mismanagement of the meagre resources allotted to the several sectors of our economy and this has been an impediment to the country’s development. 

As the economy was making a recovery from the tough times, the global prices of fuel shot up exponentially and this has had a trickle-down effect on commodities price indexes.

The regime has instead of intervening to manage the crisis of fuel prices kept a deaf ear, leaving the decision in the hands of speculative businessmen. 

But the government Agriculture Budgetary figures are still lower compared to what’s supposed to make the realization of agricultural mechanization.

The Agro-Industrialization takes the eighth position on the budgetary priorities list clearly showing the lack of political will to get from the government to push it further. The 2003 AU Maputo Protocol where our country committed to allocating 10% of our National Budgetary resources to agricultural and rural development remains a farfetched dream. Instead, we have been treated to ill-financed community development programs like Parish Development Model which like the others before has turned into a gimmick intended to hoodwink Ugandans. 

Secondly, the rather ever-expanding public expenditure is having a long-lasting toll on the budget through continued borrowing for non-priority sectors like the State House, and foreign travel.

A lot of money is spent on maintaining Mr. Museveni and his family in power. 

Today the country’s public debt stands tall at UGX 79 trillion translating into a per capita debt burden of UGX 1.8 Million. Debt refinancing takes the largest portion of our budget, and if the government was making deliberate efforts to reduce it in the future and then tighten its grip around wasteful expenditures, this should take place soon enough before we go above the acceptable threshold of 52% debt to GDP ratio. 

SECURITY 

The year 2022 saw the resurrection of high insecurity and inter communities skirmishes in Karamoja region coupled with cattle rustling and a whole lot of human rights violations largely by the UPDF in the name of enforcement of the law and order with the suspects some injured others put out of action.

A government press release in September referred to 400 deaths, while the Karamoja Development Forum counted 600 deaths between 2019 and July 2021. 

As FDC we believe a lasting holistic solution with political will in hindsight is the dialogue of warring factions, and social economic interventions by IGAD member states, which would be the case of ushering the whole region into transformation other than embarking on arms disarmament campaigns which have been on-going forever without lasting peace. 

The last quarter saw a series of Security installments attacks by unknown assailants majorly in areas of Luwero where some security operatives have lost their lives.

This led to the Uganda Police Force top leadership resorted to merging of numerous police posts in an effort to protect their officers’ lives from errant attacks. 

The vacuum left behind in these areas has made them susceptible to criminality more especially in these times of economic hardship faced Nationwide, so some criminal elements are taking advantage of the situation to terrorize the communities.

Our concern is Mr. Museveni is blaming these attacks on opposition leaders. This has been Museveni’s trick of arresting and detaining members of the opposition in order to suppress our voices. 

NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATIC SITUATION 

Uganda is one of the most naturally endowed countries on earth, boosting of diversity in flora and fauna.

But in the recent most of this has been gradually eroded and destroyed while the authorities that be are on looking that is forests, wetlands and bushes and shrubs.

According to statistics from NEMA Uganda’s wetland cover has reduced from 15.5% to 13% within a space of 28 years.

In total, between 1990 and 2010, Uganda lost 37.1% of its forest cover or around 1,763,000 ha. Uganda’s forests contain 109 million metric tons of carbon in living forest biomass.

In recent times most lakes Victoria, Kyoga, Albert and rivers have burst their banks which is majorly attributed to an increase in erratic rains increasing the water volumes. 

The continued exploitation of lake Victoria’s fragile ecosystem that’s pertinent to the survival of that natural biodiversity largely by illegal Sand and rice investors, especially in the Lwera, Bukakatta wetlands in greater Masaka whilst those charged with authority of enforcement are watching on. 

The FDC condemns such hernias acts towards mother nature and some of the government actors who are always in cahoots with these environmental terrorists hiding behind investment not knowing that their actions put Uganda’s future at risk before natural climatic calamities like floods, and famine. 

We are signatories to the Paris Accord to reduce Carbon emissions through environmentally friendly policies. 

The weather vagaries largely erratic heavy downpours leading to floods, landslides especially in the mountainous areas of Masaba, Rwenzori plus the areas surrounding lakes Albert, Victoria and Kyoga that had burst the shores, these have left a cluster of climate displaced persons or climate refugees in across the country in several camps. 

• Uganda is exposed to a variety of natural hazards (droughts, flooding, landslides, and heat waves).  
• Flooding, particularly in low-lying areas of the country, presents the largest risk.

 Heavy rainfall in the Eastern region of Uganda due to the overflow of Nabuyonga, Namatala, Nashibiso and Napwoli Rivers was reported, while the most affected area includes Mbale City. , the number of fatalities  29 people (23 in Mbale City, three in Kapchorwa District and three in Sironko District, all in the east Eastern Region). About 80 houses, nine education centers and 14 bridges have been damaged. 4,000 households (approx. 20,000 people) have been affected since 31 July. 5,600 people have been displaced. 400,000 people have been cut off the national water grid. 

As the FDC we continue to run our campaign dubbed “greening Uganda”

We have so far planted more than 500,000 trees across the country and we shall continue planting more in 2023.

THE 15^TH FDC NATIONAL COUNCIL MEETING 

The party successfully held the 15th National Council Meeting which was a positive reminder of the internal democratic processes and this saw attendance by numerous party leaders from across the country.

This is the second largest organ of the party. The council also directed the party on a number of issues basing on a report that we gathered after moving across the country in an election and party structure audit.

During the National Council meeting, the party launched the 3rd five-year (2022-2027) FDC strategic plan in recognition of and preparation to counter the turbulent future in our country. This guiding document is going to steer the party forward basing on the following 10 strategic objectives.

1. Build, consolidate, and expand FDC’s popular support base, solidarity & brotherhood.
2. Build a robust electoral infrastructure to win and defend victories.
3. Build a strong financial resource base.
4. Ensure Accountability of all elected leaders both party and government.
5. Rebuild and restructure the Party Secretariat.
6. Build, strengthen and secure party leaders, members and party assets.
7. Build a strong and effective communication and media network.
8. Establish policies, best practices for land use and environmental conservation.
9. Build partnerships with other democracy-seeking forces and organizations.
10. Monitor and Evaluate this Strategic Plan .

 As I conclude this address, I would like to congratulate FDC upon its 18th year since its inception in 2004 and happily recognize that the party is still growing stronger amid all the challenges, hurdles and hindrances. I also want to thank all of those who have stood by the party in support of our values, political ideology and have rendered unwavering support for the realization of our aims and objectives. We continue to remember those souls that we have lost along the way to a realization of a democratic, free and better Uganda.

And to the countrymen and women who always strive hard to thrive every day with the hope of attaining political and economic freedoms, you are the heroes of 2022.

We wish you God’s blessings and a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year 2023.

 God is Great, Allah Akbar

For God and My Country

ONE PEOPLE, ONE UGANDA

PATRICK OBOI AMURIAT

PARTY PRESIDENT