NRM fall will start on Dec 15 – Gen Muntu

The FDC party president says there is instability in the ruling NRM party and that the worst is yet to happen.

KAMPALA- The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) president, Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu, has said the forthcoming delegates conference of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) on December 15, will mark the beginning of the “disintegration” of the ruling party.

Maj Gen Muntu, a retired former army commander, said at the opening of the FDC Delegates’ Conference at Namboole, Kampala yesterday that President Museveni is “politically history” and the challenge the Opposition is facing is to ensure there is a stable post-Museveni transition government.

“There is instability in the ruling party. It is going to get worse. We have not seen the worst yet. We are likely going to get through a very unstable transition. You are going to see a disintegration of the ruling party starting from December 15. And the country needs to see the difference between the ruling party and the main opposition party,” Gen Muntu said.
“Even if there is a likelihood that we will go through turbulence, I need you to get this: A country which has no hope can easily go into turmoil,” he warned.

The NRM hierarchy has in the past dismissed speculation that the upcoming party delegates conference on December 15 will detonate the simmering fallout between President Museveni’s loyalists and supporters of sacked former prime minister Amama Mbabazi and accelerate disintegration of the party.
Commenting on the fortunes of FDC which has endured its own share of internal wrangling, Gen Muntu admitted the fallout from the 2012 party election that brought him to office dampened the hopes the citizens had in the country’s largest Opposition party.

Gen Muntu defeated Mr Nandala Mafabi in the 2012 contest for the party presidency and the mediation efforts to reconcile the two sides have not yielded much.

Gen Muntu took a swipe at retired Maj Rubaramira Ruranga, former chief campaigner for Mr Mafabi in the 2012 elections, who led the petitioners challenging the party’s presidential election results. He said Maj Ruranga has since defected and “joined the regime” he used to oppose.

Maj Ruranga had been an ardent critique of President Museveni and a vocal Opposition member but defected back to ruling NRM party late last year. He said FDC was not a focused party and praised Museveni as a foresighted President.

However, Gen Muntu told the party delegates yesterday that the 2012 election fallout has since been resolved and urged the delegates to build their strength “to oust the dictatorship”.

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