Odonga Otto, the Member of Parliament representing Aruu county has criticized the decision by FDC President, Patrick Amuriat to drop Winfred Kiiza as the Leader of Opposition and replacing her with Gulu woman MP, Betty Aol Ochan.
Otto said that the new shadow Cabinet announced on Friday is a “total waste of time” and described the new Leader of Opposition as incompetent.
On Friday, the biggest opposition party in Uganda, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) made changes in its shadow cabinet, which have largely met negative reaction.
In the new appointments, Roland Mugume Kaginda who has been the deputy opposition chief whip was posted to the Inter Parliamentary Union and replaced by Tonny Muhindo.
Kawempe South MP, Mubarak Munyagwa replaced Abdu Katuntu as the Chairperson of the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE). But many people have since taken to social media to express dissatisfaction with the selection of Munyagwa to head the Committee as critical as COSASE saying he is not competent enough.
“FDC cabinet a total waste and blunder by FDC party President typical of Bugiri elections,” MP Odonga Otto said in a statement on Friday.
“Needles to say the incoming leader of opposition is incompetent and will be by any one standards. Just give it days,” he added.
The Aruu county legislator said that the new shadow Cabinet is more of a token of appreciation to FDC members who supported Patrick Amuriat in his Presidential bid against Mugisha Muntu.
“The appointments by FDC party President has seen more of a reward system of cronies based on the Muntu Vs Amuriat Past elections, at the expense of competence”.
“Those of us who refused to take sides are being paid in our own currency. Those who supported Gen muntu have all been thrown in political Nile rivers”.
“Amuriat as FDC President would rather consolidate his grip than tolerate those who supported Muntu. He can’t make the party grow,” Otto added.
Otto added that the changes lacked a political strategic outlook based on the different regions of the country, with disregard of the possible consequences. He said that Amuriat’s poor selection of his Cabinet could in fact cost FDC its support in the Acholi region come 2021.
He wondered why Amuriat sidelined individuals like himself, Prof Ogenga Latigo, Reagan Okumu Reagan, Okupa Elijah and Abdu Katuntu.
Friday’s shadow Cabinet appointments could be yet another uphill task in the efforts by FDC to unite its members, following the party Presidential election between Amuriat and Muntu that left the top leadership sharply divided.
