Babihuga lost to Betty Bamukwasa Muzanira in the primaries for the woman MP seat while Tweyambe lost to Charles Makuru in the primaries for the LC V chairperson. They rejected the poll results citing irregularities.
The opposition
Forum for Democratic Change-FDC has expelled three party members for running as
independents. The affected are Ingrid Turinawe Kamateneti, the party’s the
National Political Mobilizer, Darius Tweyambe and Winnie Babihuga.
The trio
decided to go independent after losing the party primaries that were held at Rukungiri
Municipal stadium in August this year. Turinawe lost the primary elections for
the Rukunguri municipality parliamentary seat to Dr. Warren Nuwagaba Tumwiine.
Babihuga
lost to Betty Bamukwasa Muzanira in the primaries for the woman MP seat while Tweyambe
lost to Charles Makuru in the primaries for the LC V chairperson. They rejected
the poll results citing irregularities. Turinawe argued that Nuwagaba
bribed voters with between Shillings 400,000 and 500,000 to influence the poll
results.
Tweyambe petitioned the party’s tribunal accusing Makuru of bribing
voters but his petition was quashed. He accused
the tribal members of taking a decision without interfacing with the parties
involved.
As a result, the FDC Secretary-General, Nathan Nandala Mafabi wrote
on December 7th, 2020 expelling the trio for contravening article
12(d) of the FDC party constitution, which clears states that if a member joins
another party or in an election stands as an independent they cease to be a
member of FDC.
The letter also warns other party members against supporting independent
candidates, saying they risk dismissal from the party. Virginia Kyarugahe, the Rukungiri
District FDC Chairperson confirmed the expulsion of the three-party members in
an interview with URN.
//Cue in: “normally when one…
Cue out: ….the party.”//
Efforts to
get a comment from Turinawe, Tweyambe and Babihuga were futile as their known
mobile cellphone numbers were switched off.
