In a move that has sent shockwaves through Uganda’s political landscape, Speaker Anita Among has refused to confirm the Forum for Democratic Change’s (FDC) controversial decision to replace Ssemujju Nganda, the current FDC Whip in Parliament. The decision came after several FDC MPs petitioned Parliament to halt the changes, alleging that Nandala Mafabi, FDC Secretary General, had bypassed the Party’s National Executive Committee in this decision.
On August 7, 2023, Nandala Mafabi had informed Speaker Among via letter that the FDC had decided to replace Nganda with Hon. Yusuf Nsibambi, the MP for Mawokota South and a member of the FDC party. Nsibambi, a former journalist, was expected to take over the role of the FDC party chief whip.
Speaker @AnitahAmong has asked FDC Secretary General, Nandala Mafabi to provide evidence of the meeting he held with FDC MPs agreeing to sack Ssemujju Nganda as their whip & asked FDC Party leadership to address the issues raised in the petition, saying the failure to do so would… https://t.co/TbCbdu94hC pic.twitter.com/xykw7qGd5K
— Parliament Watch (@pwatchug) August 16, 2023
But the decision was met with immediate resistance. A faction of FDC MPs claimed that Mafabi had failed to consult them or the party’s National Executive Committee before announcing the changes. They accused him of attempting to subvert Nganda’s leadership and influence both in parliament and within the party.
These MPs argued that Nganda had excelled in coordinating with other opposition parties and MPs during his tenure as chief opposition whip. They warned that replacing him at this critical juncture would sow confusion and division among opposition MPs, ultimately weakening their collective voice in parliament.
In a notable development, Speaker Among has asked Mafabi to provide substantiating evidence of the meeting he claimed to have had with FDC MPs, where they agreed to the dismissal of Nganda from his role as whip. Amid the escalating controversy, the Speaker urged FDC Party leadership to address the concerns outlined in the petition, highlighting the potential impact on parliamentary harmony, cohesion, and operations if these issues are not resolved.
Interestingly, the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, a member of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, acknowledged receiving Mafabi’s letter. However, he admitted to taking no action, citing another letter he had received from FDC MPs challenging the changes.