The interim leadership of the newly formed Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) political party has been unveiled. The team led by the former president of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), party Major General Gregory Mugisha Muntu was unveiled during the official launch of the party in Kampala on Wednesday.
Muntu will be deputized by Makerere University Don Nyanja Musoke as the national Deputy Coordinator-Operations and former Serere Woman MP Alice Alaso as the National coordinator-Finance and Administration. Martin Okumu will serve as the National Coordinator for Research and Policy.
According to Gen Muntu, the diversity of his members will go a long way in strengthening Uganda's newest political party, something he alluded to on his twitter page.
"From East to West, Central to North, our nation is one of the most diverse in the world. Where others sought to divide us along ethnic lines, @TheAllianceUG proudly holds bears our differences as a strength. We are stronger together," Gen Muntu tweeted.
Christine Abia, a former legislator will be in charge of the national treasury, the women’s league will be headed by Ambassador Edith Ssempala, Lawyer Wilberforce Seryazi will be the party’s spokesperson assisted by journalist Sulaiman Kakaire and Barbara Allimadi will lead the Diaspora Affairs docket.
Other members of the team include Hannington Basakana as Eastern Region Coordinator, Ssewava Sserubiri for Central region, Phoebe Acan for Northern region, and Jackson Wabyoona for the Western region. Florence Ibi Egwau will be in charge of Parliamentary Affairs and Abim Matanda is the Youth League Coordinator.
Eunice Okullo will lead Religious Affairs, Prossy Naikoba will lead the Civil Society Organisation Affairs, David Mwiruka will lead Education, while Dan Mugarura will lead Election Affairs. The Party will be guided by a team of elders, among them, Dan Wandera Ogalo, Dr Munini Munera and Yokas Bihande.
Alice Alaso, the Party’s National Coordinator in Charge of Finance and Administration says they intend to use the next three months to traverse the country and recruit new members. Mugisha Muntu says the Party will come out with different policy positions so that within one year, every Ugandan will understand what ANT stands for and what the party has to offer.
The Alliance for National Transformation was formed on March 19, 2019, as an opposition political party. It came in the aftermath of a fall out between the FDC leadership led by Patrick Oboi Amuriat and a faction led by his predecessor Mugisha Muntu.
It was officially launched today at the Serena Kampala Hotel, in an event attended by Members of Parliament, Heads of Political Parties, Civil Society organizations and the Academia.
Those present at the launch included Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, Democratic Party (DP) president Norbert Mao, Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) President Jimmy Akena, the Conservative Party’s Ken Lukyamuzi, former leaders of Opposition Winifred Kiiza and Prof Morris Ogenga Latigo, Arua Municipality MP Kassiano Wadri and Bugweri County MP Abdu Katuntu, among others.
The Party unveiled its official symbol, a lighting bulb, its colours; White, Purple, and Orange and a logo, a map of Uganda lit with a bulb in the middle.
About the leaders
Maj Gen Muntu (National Coordinator). He is the immediate former President of FDC. He had earlier served as the party’s Secretary for Mobilisation before replacing Dr Kizza Besigye, who retired from the party’s top office in 2012. Gen Muntu is also a former army commander. He also served as Uganda’s representative in the East African Legislative Assemmobly.
Muniini K. Mulera (Elder)
Hailing from Kigezi sub-region, he is a Ugandan consultant surgeon based in Canada. Dr Mulera is a known political commentator, who has discussed issues back home through his column “Letter to a Kampala Friend” in the Daily Monitor newspaper.
He was an ardent supporter of FDC where he served as a member on different committees. He announced his resignation from FDC through his regular Daily Monitor column in August last year.
Wandera Ogalo (Elder)
He is a senior lawyer with Victoria Advocates and Legal Consultants in Kampala.
Mr Ogalo was Bukholi South delegate in the Constituent Assembly which made the 1995 Constitution. He was also one of the lawyers, who represented former FDC presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye in a presidential election petition against President Museveni in 2006. He has also represented Uganda in the East African Legislative Assembly.
Edith Grace Ssempala (Head of Women League)
She trained as a civil engineer before working as a civil servant and a diplomat who served Uganda in the US, Nordic countries, Ethiopia and Djibouti among other missions.
In 2015 she jumped ship and joined the Go Forward group led by former prime minister Amama Mbabazi who contested in the 2016 presidential elections and lost. She also served as director and senior adviser at the World Bank.
Alice Alaso (Deputy National Coordinator for Finance and Administration)
She is former Secretary General of FDC, who walked away with Gen Muntu from FDC after a heated election in 2017. Ms Alaso has for the past several months been known as the convener first with the New Formation and until yesterday with ANT since its registration in March. She is former Serere District Woman MP.
Many say as a deputy coordinator in-charge of administration, she is tasked with work equivalent to a Secretary General.
Yokasi Bihande (Elder)
He is former MP for Bukonzo East in Kasese District. He was in Parliament until 2016 after joining as a result of a by-election in 2007. He is a husband to Ms Winfred Kiiza, Kasese District Woman MP and former Leader of Opposition. He also served as Kasese District chairperson for two terms.
Nyanja Musoke (Deputy National Coordinator for Operations and Mobilisation).
He is a senior lecturer at Makerere University. He is little known in politics but is mostly known as a researcher with many years of experience.
Christine Abia (National treasurer)
Ms Abia is former Woman MP of Arua District. Most recently, she was the campaign manager who together with People Power delivered the victory of Kassiano Wadri as Arua Municipality MP. She had lost her own seat in 2016 parliamentary elections.
