Leading opposition party, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) politician Ingrid Kamateneti Turinawe struck a pessimistic tone in her first television interview to Ugandans Wednesday morning, delivering what she called “a message of frustration and strength” and calling for national action to help usher in a “stronger opposition to Museveni.”
Her responses to NBS TV morning show hosts, Simon Kaggwa Njala and Mildred Tuhaise were unusually restrained for Turinawe, who barely veered away from her prepared remarks. She struck a more positive tone than her Tuesday Parliament address — the “a pig is a pig” speech — which painted a dour picture of Uganda legislators’ greed.
Today, Ingrid called on Ugandans to work together in a multi-partisan fashion to help expose the problems the country’s leadership is facing at the moment.
“Clearly, I wasn’t rejected,” Ms. Turinawe said. “If they had welcomed me with sweet songs, Ugandans would know that there is a problem. And by the time a strong ‘opposition’ party is widely supported by ruling party, then it’s no longer opposition.”
“This is the most wonderful election I have gone through. It has helped me achieve my goals – 25 votes, basing on what happened yesterday is ten times more, so I got 250 votes.”
“I was eager to see what would happen in Parliament. They even practiced the songs. They entertained me – Hon. Mohammed Nsereko was among the MPs who instigated the whole ‘MPigs’ propaganda. He even has no proof. If you eat like a pig, walk like a pig, sit like a pig, then what are you?”
The most contentious moment of the morning came when Ingrid was asked if in any way FDC President Gen. Mugisha Muntu frustrated her bid.
She said with a straight face, “Yes, he did!”, adding, “I sat in all meetings at Najjanankumbi, there’s no party resolution that withdrew me from the EALA race but I had an army that was protecting me. I was proud, I went to win and I won. I’m still winning.”
“To me, Mugisha Muntu was panicking. He thought withdrawing me would help the other candidate to win.”
The line elicited groans from Gen. Muntu’s supports on social media.
Nine candidates were voted to represent Uganda at the regional Parliament.
Mukasa Fred Mbidde (DP) polled 311 votes, Akol Rose Okulu (NRM) 370, Mathias Kasamba (NRM) 359 , Mary Mugyenyi (NRM) 341, Paul Musamali Mwasa (NRM) 350, Dennis Namara (NRM) 329, George Steven Odongo (NRM) 346, Christopher Opoka Okumu (UPC) 279 and Suzan Nakawuki (Independent) 298.
With FDC’s Florence Ibi Ekwau also losing, meant FDC will not have a representative for the second time. In the last term of EALA, FDC boycotted the elections, accusing NRM of taking a lion’s share of the slots. However, this time around, the party had presented Florence Ekwau, although it later added on Ingrid Turinawe, who had emerged second during their primaries. Turinawe was later withdrawn in a letter signed by party president Gen. Mugisha Muntu, although she opposed the manner in which she was withdrawn. Parliament maintained her in the race, arguing that she had not signed the letter withdrawing her, contrary to the rules of procedure for the EALA elections.
Ironically, NRM supporters say what happened to FDC in the EALA parliamentary elections yesterday is a true reflection of what exactly exists on the ground.
They insist all this was because the Kizza Besigye defiance faction that is led by Turinawe completely refused to adopt Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu’s idea of creating and strengthening grass root structures and resorted to labeling him a President Museveni mole.
To go to court over mistreatment
Ingrid Turinawe is now contemplating legal action. She wonders what will happen to the FDC party now that it has no political representatives in EALA.
NBS says she wants to challenge election results in the East African Court of Justice over mistreatment.
The FDC party mobiliser was continuously booed and heckled at by MPs during her manifesto presentation in Parliament yesterday.
“When you look at how they treated me, you wonder whether they are ‘honourable’ members of a national Parliament, I have to seek fairness by all means,” Turinawe said
MPs accused Ingrid Turinawe of referencing them to ‘pigs’ and she didn’t deserve their vote and support.
