Presidential candidate Mbabazi tells TDA fallout

Kampala. Former prime minister Amama Mbabazi, who was announced yesterday as the candidate chosen by majority of The Democratic Alliance (TDA) members, has asked three-time presidential candidate and FDC flag bearer Dr Kizza Besigye to back him.

Addressing journalists at the TDA offices in Naguru yesterday, Mr Mbabazi said the doors for cooperation with Dr Besigye and, or any other individual for what he described as a “common goal”, are still open.

He was flanked by several Opposition leaders, including Uganda People’s Congress [UPC] President Olara Otunnu, Democratic Party (DP) President Norbert Mao and DP secretary general Mathias Nsubuga. Others were representatives from other political parties, including Peoples Progressive Party, Uganda Federal Alliance and his Go Forward-Pro-change group, and TDA summit members.

Mr Nsubuga, explained that Mr Mbabazi’s candidature had been endorsed by seven out of the nine formations of the TDA. Only two dissented, Dr Besigye’s FDC and John Ken Lukyamuzi’s CP.

Bishop Zac Niringiye, the head of TDA secretariat, while introducing Amama Mbabazi’s candidature before the media yesterday, said they had endorsed him as their presidential candidate by consensus. Bishop Niringiye had earlier in the morning issued a statement in the presence of Dr Besigye that said TDA had not arrived at a consensus to field a joint candidate. Mr Mathias Nsubuga, the DP secretary general and part of the team unveiling Mr Mbabazi’s bid, said Mr Mbabazi had been endorsed by majority of TDA members, not by consensus as the TDA protocol provides.(NMG)