Drama unfolded in Rukungiri District on Friday afternoon when Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate Nandala Mafabi received a hostile reception from residents, who accused him of suffocating the party’s progress and playing a role in the arrest of Colonel Dr Kizza Besigye.
Besigye was arrested on November 16, 2024, in Nairobi, Kenya, alongside his aide Obeid Lutale. The two are currently remanded at Luzira Prison on charges of treachery and unlawful possession of firearms.
Prosecutors allege that between February 2023 and November 2024, the pair held meetings in Geneva, Athens, and Nairobi, where they allegedly sought logistical support and identified military targets in Uganda with the intention of undermining the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
In a related incident, opposition activist Sam Mugumya was reportedly abducted on August 26 by plain-clothed armed men from a hotel in Nyamitanga, Mbarara City. His whereabouts remain unknown.
As Mafabi kicked off his campaigns in the Kigezi region, starting in Rukungiri District, business and political activity remained largely unchanged, with very few of his campaign posters visible on streets and roads. When he arrived in Rukungiri Town at around 3:00 p.m., accompanied by party chairman Ssebitti and Western Region vice chairperson Robert Centenary, many residents appeared indifferent.
Where top FDC leaders have previously been welcomed with large crowds at the Rukungiri Municipal Stadium or the main roundabout, this time Mafabi and his entourage drove through silently, without stepping out to wave.
They only stopped near the Rukungiri bus and taxi park along Karegyesa Road, a street off the main road, where they addressed a small crowd for about 30 minutes.
Unlike the usual enthusiastic reception for FDC leaders in Rukungiri, Mafabi was met by a sparse and unmotivated gathering. As Sabitti and Centenary addressed the public, passersby scoffed and shouted, accusing the leaders of failing the party and contributing to Besigye’s imprisonment.
Ssabitti and Centenary denied the accusations, saying they were equally pained by Besigye’s continued detention and were praying for his immediate and unconditional release.
They say residents of Rukungiri district should have used the opportunity to demand an explanation for Besigye’s arrest when Museveni was campaigning there last month.
While campaigning, Mafabi also refuted claims that he had a hand in Besigye’s arrest, saying that Museveni is the one behind his imprisonment. He vowed that if elected president, he would ensure that Besigye and all other political prisoners are released. He also pledged to fight corruption and guarantee that taxpayers’ money is used to deliver services at the grassroots level.
After the rally, Mafabi proceeded to Rubabo Road, where he opened the district party office. However, tension escalated as some voters verbally attacked him, demanding that he leave Rukungiri immediately.
Voters, including Stephen Besigye, Aloysious Mugarura, and Patrick Batuma, accused Mafabi of betrayal. They claimed that if peace were not a priority, he deserved to be beaten as a sign of public anger, insisting he should never return to Rukungiri.
Some locals were seen almost exchanging blows with Nandala’s team, which was escorting him. Following the confrontational scenes, Mafabi and his convoy drove to Kanungu for another campaign event. According to the Electoral Commission roadmap, he is expected to campaign in Kabale, Rubanda, and Kisoro districts on Saturday.
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