Right from the beginning, choosing Eng. Patrick Amuriat Oboi by the opposition Forum for Democratic Change [FDC] appeared questionably suspicious.
Although, technically the top most leader in the party at the time, quite a number of other party members seemed reasonably way above the man from Teso in the pecking order going by their national appeal.
With the likes of party Secretary General Nathan Mandala Mafabi, Party Vice Chairperson for Eastern Uganda Proscovia Salaam Musumba, veteran scribe Philip Wafuka Ogutu in the party, there was no way one could have predicted it would be POA to stand in for Dr Kizza Besigye at next year’s Presidential polls.
Variously demeaned with ridiculous names like the villager, Besigye’s stooge or puppet during the fierce contest with Gen Mugisha Muntu for the party Presidency in 2017, Amuriat had surprisingly surpassed everybody’s expectation as of now.
The debate on whether or not he was the right person for FDC to throw into the furnace in the absence of Besigye at next year’s elections had thus better be put to rest. The lion from the East – POA will be on the presidential ballot next year come what may.
What’s rather worthy anybody’s scrutiny is how experienced presidential challenger Dr Besigye has suspiciously kept away from Amuriat’s campaigns.
Many political commentators had projected that the FDC candidate would be a real force to reckon with if Besigye, who by the way remains a considerably popular figure in the opposition politics would lend a back. Unfortunately,this has so far not happened.
The reason behind this strange behavior from the veteran politician has, as expected left many guessing.
While trying to explain the confusion the other week, Amuriat said Besigye – the man he proudly refers to as “my mentor” was being shielded against a possible infection from COVID19. He assured his supporters that Besigye is indeed strongly behind his [Amuriat’s] presidential endeavors.
COULD IT BE A STRATEGIC PLAN?
It certainly could be. Besigye had strategically delayed an announcement that he would not be participating in next year’s Presidential challenge probably to continue milking media appearances and public debate for as longer as he could.
With a presidential dream still stuck at the back of his head, it would be the strangest gullibility for one to believe that Besigye could give up his place to Bobi Wine that easily without any fight.
It’s should be understood that Besigye knows for certain that Bobi Wine will not beat Museveni in any case. He however hopes that Bobi Wine’s excitement will have subsided by the time Museveni gets sworn in next year. As such, he would be a more humble ally to work with in the much publicised ‘plan B’.
In choosing POA whom many including himself never ever dreamt would ever seek the Presidency, Besigye and FDC might have looked for an expendable scapegoat to preserve the image of the party while also minimizing hateful propaganda that would have risen from having a stronger candidate to compete with Kyagulanyi for the opposition vote.
Additionally, FDC could have scored double or even triple since fronting Amuriat in an election they very well know they stand no chance of winning has helped to save the stronger leaders who are popular seen as the backbone of FDC in the event that Besigye retires or dies.
The like of Nandala Mafabi would step forward without any blemish of having participated and lost in an election prior.
That said, Amuriat is indeed FDC’s expendable leader thrown into the fire to save the image of the party while knowing that a dismal performance at the polls would be something not to groan about at an individual level.
With a somewhat harmless POA in the race, FDC has a candidate for the Presidency, Bobi Wine’s camp seems hugely unhurt by that and yet again, Besigye seems hell bent on appeasing the pop star by keeping a distance from his party’s presidential candidate.
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