Main opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party Secretary General Nathan Nandala Mafabi and Kampala Woman MP Nabilah Naggayi Sempala faced off in a July 16 night show.
SG Mafabi and Naggayi were guests on NTV on the Spot where they discussed the disagreements within the party and whether members can find solutions for the same before the 2021 elections.
On July 15, FDC Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson Boniface Toterebuka Bamwenda rejected Naggayi’s nomination forms for Kampala mayoral race.
Bamwenda told Naggayi the deadline for return of expression of interest forms had passed.
But the Kampala Woman MP insisted the FDC EC had not issued any deadline for the presidential and mayoral flag bearer nominations.
Naggayi has since stolen news headlines, and hosted on city media shows to explain her disgruntlement with FDC.
When she appeared alongside Mafabi, the FDC SG asked her why she skipped a crucial vote on age limit in 2017.
The removal of the age limit clause meant that President Yoweri Museveni, in power since 1986, could run beyond the age of 75.
In response to Mafabi’s question, Naggayi said she was on sick leave, to which the FDC top administrator asked, “why didn’t you die.”
Naggayi then threatened to walk out of the live show. She stood up to leave but host Patrick Kamara called on Naggayi to return to her seat as he called for civility.
Mafabi later apologised, but said, according to his Bugisu culture, one can’t say they are so sick that they can’t do important work like voting on age limit was.
NABILAH NAGGAYI: FDC ENVIRONMENT TOXIC
On why she had shunned the party activities and stopped visiting the party headquarters, Naggayi blamed the unfriendly environment at at Najjanankumbi.
“I have not been going to the FDC headquarters because of the hostile environment. I cannot put myself in that kind of environment.
“I choose to stay away until it’s very necessary for me to go there.”
Naggayi used Mafabi’s statement to argue that the FDC was full of untouchables who think they are above the party, and survive on intrigue and patronage.
“If the honourable leadership of the party can publicly wish death on me, what do you think happens behind the scenes? The party is toxic. There is harassment and abuse,” she said.
“We are talking about people who have mastered the art of intrigue and public display but internally there is death in the FDC party.”
She further claimed that the party fought women. She called for an investigation “to see why there is a high turnover especially on women leaders in the FDC.
“There is a trail of blood that women are leaving behind in the party… FDC is like an abattoir where political death happens.”
She also alleged that “when it comes to money, these people [FDC leaders] want to milk all the money they can get from any avenue.”
SG NANDALA MAFABI TO NAGGAYI: FDC WON’T DIE WHEN YOU LEAVE
Mafabi told Naggayi she had struggled to identify with Dr Kizza Besigye, one of those untouchables she seemed to aim her jabs at, to win an election.
“In the last campaigns, Hon Nabilah had to bribe the police to be arrested to show that she was near Besigye while he was being arrested,” claimed Mafabi.
Suggesting that Naggayi was a mole, Mafabi told his colleague that “FDC will not ‘die’ when you leave because it [FDC] was built on sweat and blood.”
“If Hon Nabilah believes that the FDC party’s survival depended on her, she is free to go wherever she wants.”
Already, some leaders in Museveni’s ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) say Naggayi is welcome to the party.
On claims that FDC is ring fencing its Kampala mayoral race flag for Lukwago, a non-member, Mafabi said the party was also interested in cooperation.
He added: “We are a party and we shall have candidate to run against Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.”
