“And so I want to dismiss with contempt, the criticism of those who think that we can continue massaging the dictator, we are going to take the dictator by defiance, I promise you.” said Patrick Amuriat”. Friday marked the end of the Mugisha Muntu era as it ushered a new regime of Patrick Oboi Amuriat for the country’s biggest Opposition party the FDC. Singing and dancing characterized the swearing-in ceremony with supporters who donned the blue and red ribbons to witness the ceremony. Several delegates present included those who didn’t necessarily subscribe to the party but unknown Besigye followers. These included; Lord Mayor Elias Lukwago, the former Presidential candidate Joseph Elton Mabirizi among others.
Outgoing party President Mugisha Muntu arrived early enough to receive the new President. Moments later Patrick Oboi Amuriat arrived flanked by tens and thousands of supporters singing and dancing as they led him to his seat. And then the ceremony began. “I Patrick Oboi Amuriat swear that I will faithfully perform my duties as party President.” Shortly after his swearing-in, Kyadondo East Member of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi walked in putting the ceremony on hold voluntarily. It was now time for the farewell speech. “When you personally talk to delegates, they will tell you things that you cannot even imagine; there can be people at senior leadership level who say the kind of things they say for example for issues of ethnicity in this country. We have killed each other; 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. A lot of differences we need to go and deal with. The country is looking at us to heal the country when the Opposition takes power, we are not going to heal the country unless we heal ourselves.”
While giving his maiden speech, Amuriat talked of the new wave of defying the government policies away from the usual running battles with the Police and the Army. “Defiance is not about going to the streets and throwing stones onto things or on human beings. The act of doctors going on strike is an example of defiance, the act of state prosecutors deciding to lay their tools down is an act of defiance, when the local folks in the villages close the road because it is no longer passable that is an act of defiance.” Amuriat also committed himself to working with Mugisha Muntu even after his tenure but asked him not to let the election loss push him out of the party saying they still needed united forces to oust Museveni. “We require synergies of everybody, the membership of the FDC, the members of other political parties, of civil society and the common Ugandans. And so if you are serious of getting rid of the dictator, the best thing to do is to stay within the confines of this compound working for the FDC.”
After his speech, a group of his supporters from Elgon region rewarded him with several food stuffs wrapped in the famous Togikwatako red ribbon. These included; chicken, goats, tobacco, fruits among others.
