Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has dismissed the possibility of engaging in talks with the ruling NRM party officials with the aim of sharing power.
During the party’s weekly press briefing in Najjanankumbi, the FDC Vice President Northern region, Ronald Regan Okumu revealed that despite the tough talk about the opposition party during has public addresses, President Yoweri Museveni has been “quietly sending in agents to engage the FDC top leadership in talks.”
“There have been some people from government meeting our top leadership. This is not the first time the regime has done so,” Okumu said.
He added that a similar case occurred during the Reform Agenda.
“The regime sent agents and we met President Museveni at State House. As a result we started a national dialogue which collapsed because they (government) said they only wanted to consult us and that it was never dialogue.”
Okumu noted, “If Museveni wants real talks, then we shall go there but again the question remains, talk about what?” Okumu wondered.
“I want you to get this clear; we are not going to talk about sharing power; if you think we are going to talk about the Kenya and Zimbabwean scenario, you are mistaken.”
“As FDC we can only talk about a transition; how Uganda should transcend forward, the destiny and the future of our country.”
He added, “These talks must take four elements in consideration; the talks should be inclusive not only focusing on FDC because they are not the only stakeholders in the country. We must have guarantors, having a clear agenda not just for the sake of talking; a credible mediator with capacity to put sanctions against any party that deviates from what is agreed upon.”