Nabilah quits race for FDC key post hours before voting

Kampala, Friday. Hours to the elections, Kampala District Woman MP Nabilah Nagayi Sempala withdrew from the race for FDC secretary general post, alleging irregularities in the party’s grassroots election.

Ms Sempala, who was due to face off with former Leader of Opposition in Parliament Nathan Nandala Mafabi and Terego County MP Kasiano Wadri, alleged that the FDC electoral commission failed to resolve the irregularities that have marred the nomination of candidates for the secretary general position.

“As a Member of Parliament for Kampala City, I was greatly shocked and alarmed by the many voting irregularities in the FDC grassroots election in Kampala City. Under the prevailing circumstances, I am left with no choice but to withdraw my candidature from the secretary general position at the forthcoming elections,” she said.

Ms Sempala, who is the minister of information and national guidance in the shadow cabinet, cited among others, the loss of the Kampala City FDC register, fraudulent process of registration, presiding officers not turning up in the designated polling centres and deletion of registered members from the Kampala City FDC register as some of the irregularities that rocked the Kampala District grassroots poll.

Last week, Ms Sempala raised the red flag on the FDC grassroots election saying it was a “tip of the iceberg and that at the party’s Delegates Conference, many FDC members will find out that they cannot vote”.

She, however, went ahead and announced her candidature for the secretary general post and even picked nominations forms.

In her statement withdrawing from the race, Ms Sempala cast doubt on the credibility of the chairperson of the FDC electoral commission, Mr Daniel Mugarura.

“I am more than convinced that the chairperson of the FDC electoral commission has lost credibility and cannot organise free and fair elections. It must be noted that as FDC members, we must not be denied our right to choose our party structures and decide the destiny of our party,” Ms Sempala said.

Mr Mugarura, however, advised her and anybody who has any queries about the process to petition the relevant party organs. (NMG)