Three members of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change-FDC have been expelled from the party for choosing to run as independents in the 2021 general election.
The members include; Ingrid Turinawe Kamateneti, Darius Tweyambe and Winnie Babihuga who decided to go independent after losing the party primaries held at Rukungiri Municipal stadium in August this year.
During the election, Turinawe lost the Rukunguri municipality parliamentary seat to Dr. Warren Nuwagaba Tumwiine while Babihuga lost to Betty Bamukwasa Muzanira in the primaries for the woman MP seat and Tweyambe lost to Charles Makuru in the primaries for the LC V chairperson.
The trio rejected poll results citing irregularities. According to Turinawe, Nuwagaba bribed voters with Shillings 400,000 and 500,000 to influence the poll results.
Also, Tweyambe petitioned the party’s tribunal accusing Makuru of bribing voters but his petition was quashed, prompting him to claim that the tribunal members took a decision without interfacing with the parties involved.
The FDC Secretary-General Nathan Nandala Mafabi on Monday December 7th, 2020 wrote a letter expelling the trio for contravening article 12(d) of the FDC party constitution, which states that ‘if a member joins another party or in an election stands as an independent they cease to be a member of FDC.’
Mafabi further warned other party members against supporting independent candidates, saying they risk dismissal from the party.
