Exposed: How Chairman Birigwa Stage-Managed His Captivity To Get Media Attention

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Party General Secretary Nathan Nandala Mafabi has disregarded reports that a group of goons organised by him and the Party chairman Patrick Oboi Amuriat placed the party chairman Wasswa Birigwa under captivity at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi.

According to Nandala, Birigwa placed himself in captivity to attract public and media sympathy.

There was pandemonium at the party offices when Birigwa appeared to deliver a press conference. Journalists were roughed up while Birigwa was shut out, before he was allowed inside the offices and later allegedly closed inside.

Birigwa after several hours was seen scaling down the FDC office fence.

However, Nandala claims he was not at the premises, labelling the beating of journalists regrettable and worth investigation, before accusing Birigwa of hiring goons

“We shall investigate, the chairman came with his people, according to what I hear was a planned activity to put FDC leadership in a bad light. Does the chairman organise press conferences, what was the chairman doing there on Thursday?” Nandala said.

“I have not organised anyone to beat anybody in Najjanankumbi,” Mafabi added.

Regarding the situation of Birigwa, Nandala said that was a “decoy aimed at generating drama for coverage”.

“If he was under captivity, how did he escape from his captives,” he said.

In reply, the FDC party spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda said Nandala was only “trying to be intelligent”.

“The chairman has an office there ( at the Party Headquarters), Nandala can attempt to be intelligent, he called the staff there and asked them not to allow them to address a press conference,” Ssemujju said.

“Nandala’s explanation is the like that of the NRM, blaming victims,’ he said.