VIEWSROOM: Why Ingrid Turinawe dismissal shows FDC’s lack of political logic, failure to look at bigger picture

By Prof Mwambutsya Ndebesa

There is an English idiom known as the lesser evil. This is where you are faced with two undesirable choices and you have to take one least harmful in the short run but can be beneficial in the long term.  

I think the FDC party is making a strategic error to expel the likes of Ingrid Turinawe from the party.

FDC is using intellectual logic instead of political logic at this juncture in our history.

In my humble opinion, they are wrong.

They argue that once you stand as an Independent, you are not FDC: You are Independent.

Do they want to tell us that, for example, the Electoral Commission is independent because it has been labelled an Independent Electoral Commission?

The primary goal of FDC should be political mobilization not vote mobilization. Yes, vote mobilization is important for FDC to win seats in parliament but in my opinion that is secondary.

Therefore, in respect of strategic thinking the likes of Ingrid should be left alone.

Let FDC campaign for its flag bearer.

Let it not antagonize those independents who are not against them.

As Jesus said whoever is not against you in such a political struggle is for your strategic goal.

It seems some of FDC leaders are looking at the short term objective to win votes, not to win and consolidate political support base.

Yes, winning a seat in parliament is important but must it be won at the expense of losing some support base?

FDC should not look at Ingrid but at the bigger picture because as Ingrid has stated, they  need the likes of her in the bigger picture.

Mwambutsya Ndebesa is a political science professor.

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