FDC Sets Eyes On Kikuube By-Election As Amuriat Slams Gov’t Over Sovereignty Bill

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has initiated internal processes to identify a flagbearer for the upcoming Kikuube District LCV Chairperson by-election, following the release of the electoral roadmap. The move comes just days after the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) announced plans to conduct party primaries for the same seat.

FDC President Patrick Amuriat Oboi told journalists that the party’s focus extends beyond Kikuube District to the wider Bunyoro sub-region. He however, noted that the FDC is currently engaging other opposition parties to explore the possibility of fronting a joint candidate against the NRM.

Notably, the party did not field a candidate for the Kikuube LCV seat during the January 2026 general elections.

The seat fell vacant following the death of Peter Banura, who died in a road accident on April 4, 2024, shortly after securing re-election. The Electoral Commission has scheduled May 25 and 26 for the nomination of candidates, with polling set for June 10.

Beyond the district by-election, the FDC says it is also preparing for the forthcoming LC1 elections. Despite what the party describes as a lack of clarity and commitment from the central government on the election timeline, it has begun identifying candidates at the village level to contest for chairperson positions.

Meanwhile,  Amuriat criticised a recent letter by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, in which the President distanced himself from the version of the Protection of Sovereignty Bill currently before Parliament. In the letter, Museveni reportedly stated that the draft tabled before the House did not reflect the executive’s original intent, suggesting that it had been altered during the drafting process.

Amuriat described the development as evidence of “uncoordinated troop movement” and a broader breakdown in governance. He questioned how the Attorney General’s office and Cabinet could approve the tabling of a bill that the President now disowns.

“What has happened with this bill is a demonstration of what Ugandans can achieve when they speak with one voice,” he said, noting that more than 90 per cent of stakeholders who appeared before the joint parliamentary committee rejected the proposed law.

The party also alleged procedural irregularities during committee proceedings held in Kampala,  claiming that instead of conducting standard clause-by-clause voting, committee leaders adopted an omnibus approach to fast-track the bill.

The FDC warned that if the bill is passed in a form that undermines democratic rights, it will seek constitutional redress in court to challenge its legality.