By Amos Ssemuwemba
The Katonga faction of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), led by Erias Lukwago, the party’s President, visited the Electoral Commission headquarters this morning. The delegation sought to obtain documents that would allow them to begin the process of registering a new political party.
However, upon arrival, the group was informed that the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission was unavailable. They were told that the Vice Chairperson was present, but Lukwago expressed deep frustration with the situation.
“How can it happen that on a Monday morning, at the head office of the Electoral Commission, there are no commissioners available?” Lukwago questioned, voicing his concerns over the absence of key officials.
Lukwago also criticized what he described as dishonesty from the Electoral Commission, suggesting that the absence of the commissioners reflected poorly on the institution’s credibility. “If the institution responsible for conducting free and fair elections in the country starts lying about small matters like hiding the commissioners, it paints a broader, troubling picture,” he said.
He went on to accuse the Commission of wasting the faction’s time and mishandling the situation, claiming that the delay in processing their requests seemed intentional. Lukwago alleged that the Commission was hiding information, stating, “They told us the Vice Chairperson isn’t around, yet we have information he is. Clearly, they are hiding something.”
In response to a request for a date when the FDC faction could return for feedback on a letter submitted on September 6, Lukwago noted that they were met with what he described as a hostile attitude, further fueling his belief that the Commission might have a “hidden agenda.”
Despite the setbacks, Lukwago vowed that the faction would continue with their efforts. “We are determined,” he concluded.
The FDC Katonga faction’s move to register a new political party comes amid ongoing internal disputes within the FDC, with the faction seeking formal recognition outside the main party structure. The Electoral Commission has yet to provide a statement regarding today’s events.
