Electoral Commission clears PFF party
CAPTION: Erias Lukwago, the interim president of the FDC Katonga faction. (Courtesy photo).
By our reporter
KAMPALA – The Uganda Electoral Commission has gazetted the application by promoters of People’s Front For Freedom (PFF) to register a political party, in accordance with the provisions of the Political Parties and Organizations Act.
PFF was formed after Forum for Democratic Change witnessed another fallout when a section of the party members accused the president, Amuriat Oboi Patrick and secretary general, Nathan Nandala Mafabi of taking Museveni’s money, which was used in the general elections of 2021.
Since then, the party has had two factions; one sitting at Katonga Road in Kampala backed by Kizza Besigye, and the other sitting at Najjanankumbi. It’s now the Katonga faction that wants to start a new political party.
EC makes call
The Electoral Commission -EC, the body in charge of regulating political parties, has called upon members of the public who have any objections to the registration of a new political party, People’s Front for Freedom-PFF to come forward within 14 days.
In a notice that appeared in The Uganda Gazette on Friday, signed by the EC chairman, Simon Mugenyi Byabakama, said such objections should be lodged within 14 days. “Any person who has any grounds for opposing this application should do so within 14 days from the date of this Gazette notice by objecting to the Electoral Commission,” the notice reads in part.
A section of the party led by the former President Dr Kizza Besigye accused the current FDC leaders, President Amurita Patrick Oboi and Secretary General Nathan Nandala-Mafabi, of accepting billions of shillings from President Yoweri Museveni in the 2021 general election.
This faction of the FDC decided to appoint Kampala Lord Mayor Elias Lukwago as the interim president. Since then, they have been trying to register the PFF. In the past, Lukwago has accused the EC of procrastinating in registering them. They said this lacklustre approach was hampering their preparations for the 2026 general elections.
Last week, however, Lukwago assured his group members that all that is necessary for their registration has been done, and they are simply waiting for the green light from the EC. The PFF will have the mobile handset as the symbol, white and royal blue as their party colours, while Freedom for all and all for freedom will be the party slogan.
In the past, the FDC has objected to the use of blue, arguing that it would be confusing to its members as it is also blue that they use as party colour. Unless there are objections that are upheld, the gazetting signals that PFF is finally going to be the third political party to break away from the FDC.
The other two are Uganda Federal Alliance of now Inspector General of Government Beti Kamya, and the Alliance for National Transformation of Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu. Kamya was a senior special envoy in the office of the party president while Muntu was a former party president.
