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Freedom and Unity Front

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Freedom and Unity Front
ChairmanAmii Omara-Otunnu
SecretaryVincent Magombe
FounderDavid Sejusa
FoundedNovember 2013
Dissolved2014
HeadquartersUnited Kingdom

The Freedom and Unity Front (FUF) was a short-lived Ugandan political movement founded by former General David Sejusa while in exile in London, England, in 2013. Formed out of uniting Free Uganda (FU) and Citizens in the Defence of the Constitution (CDC), it opposed President Yoweri Museveni over allegations of corruption and nepotism. It was officially headed by Amii Omara-Otunnu, but does not appear to have lasted even a year.

History

[edit]

The government of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, which has been in power since 1986, formerly banned other political parties,[1] but in a 2005 referendum, opposition parties were re-legalised.[2]

In May 2013, David Sejusa, who had held important positions in the national government and a former fighter in the rebellion that brought Museveni to power after the ouster of Milton Obote, parted ways with Uganda's establishment and left the country for England. Sejusa made allegations that Museveni's son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, was being prepared to eventually simply replace his father as president, in effect establishing a monarchy.[3] [4] Kainerugaba denied the allegations, while his father made no public statements about his future plans.[5]

In November 2013, while living in exile in England, Sejusa was removed from his seat as a member of Uganda's parliament due to his prolonged absence.[6] That same month, Sejusa and others announced the formation of the Freedom and Unity Front as a new political party in Uganda.[7] The new party united Free Uganda (FU), Citizens in the Defence of the Constitution (CDC) and other organisations.[8][9] The October 2013 Uhuru Declaration, signed by the party's Publicity Secretary Vincent Magombe, describes the FUF's purpose.[10]

The week following former General David Sejusa's departure as an MP representing the military, he noted that "no one should imagine that Museveni will be removed through elections." He had further called upon Ugandans to "build alternative capacity" by choosing another leader.[11] He also accused Museveni of subverting the East African Community by marginalising the leaders of Burundi and Tanzania by not inviting them for the body's summits. Sejusa accused Museveni of not only starting the M23 rebellion by militarising the rebels, including offering financial aid, but acting like a "chameleon" in "want[ing] to bring peace."[7] Sejusa had called on Ugandans to "start a new process of national healing" with the removal of Museveni, that electoral politics under Museveni would yield no change and that though violence would not be initiated it could be used as "self defence."[5] In the second half of 2013, Museveni issued a challenge to Sejusa to bring about a change in government, but also added that he would not tolerate violence as a means to that end. In turn, Sejusa responded to questions of whether he would use force to bring change and said: "It's not so much that we want to do so. But if he continues to unleash terror on the population ours will be self defence."[5]

Sejusa criticised Museveni and called for "a new process of national healing" and that the party was an attempt at organising so as to "establishing a constitutional rule which he destroyed." Yet he denied seeking the presidency for himself as it was "a waste of time" to run against Museveni within the structures of the current system.[5] In a related measure, former three-time presidential candidate Colonel Kizza Besigye also said "whether united or not, you cannot dislodge Museveni through an election he [Museveni] organises, supervises and controls," due its status as a military government. Instead he suggested civil disobedience would be more effective in bringing about regime change.[12]

FUF was founded on 6 October 2013, with Amii Omara-Otunnu appointed as chairman.[13] Omara-Otunnu was at the time a tenured professor in history, and was also UNESCO Chair in Comparative Human Rights at the University of Connecticut from 2000[14] until 2016.[15]

Issues and achievements

[edit]

According to the party at its establishment, important issues were: tackling what it sees as a decrease in "human rights," particularly a rise in extrajudicial killings; an alleged "selective justice" on the part of the government; a lack of accountability, transparency and prevalent corruption; and a decrease in civil society organisations in the immediate preceding years.[16]

On 14 December, the party launched its first manifesto.[17] chairman was Amii Omara-Otunnu wrote in July 2014 that the FUF was formed "to champion national reconciliation and healing, to banish the culture of violence and militarism that has blighted the lives of millions of citizens through gratuitous use of force, to fashion institutional mechanisms for democracy, accountability and checks and balances on power, to inspire hope and faith in the future, and to seek understanding and solidarity from the international community to assist us in our struggle, is well and robust and continues to grow in leaps and bounds".[13]

Omara-Otunnu wrote in July 2014 that since the formation of the FUF, there had been diplomatic and political progress, and that the movement had created international awareness of the "criminality" of President Museveni policies, that had caused many deaths and undermined international peace and security in the region. He wrote that FUF had worked hard to form productive working relationships with diverse Ugandan groups, for the common good of the country. FUF had created partnerships with a number of other groups, including the Federal Alliance for Democracy and Development (FADDU).[13]

The FUF chairman was Amii Omara-Otunnu;[18] David Sejusa was also a party leader;[5] and Vincent Magombe was publicity secretary.[10][8]

Status

[edit]

It was reported that the Ugandan Army believed thought that Sejusa was involved in "subversive activities", and declared him a deserter, threatening to charge him with treason if he returned to Uganda.[8]

There has been no update on the FUF since 2014. Sejusa returned to Uganda from self-exile in London in December 2014,[19] invited by Museveni himself, and there was no mention of the FUP.[20]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "Uganda". Freedom in the World 2013. Freedom House. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  2. ↑ "Referendum ends 20-year ban on political parties". Irinnews.org. 1 August 2005. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  3. ↑ "Uganda's David Sejusa: 'Oppose Museveni's monarchy'". BBC News. 18 June 2013.
  4. ↑ "Uganda charges four in alleged coup plot". kigalipost.com. 25 October 2013. Archived from the original on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Dissident Ugandan general launches new party". Al Jazeera English. 14 December 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  6. ↑ "General Sejusa Loses Parliament Seat". Uganda Radio Network. 20 November 2013.
  7. 1 2 James Butty (20 November 2013). "Ugandan President Accused of Subverting East African Community". Voice of America. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  8. 1 2 3 "Gen Sejusa Steps Up Anti-Museveni Campaign". ChimpReports. 9 October 2013. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  9. ↑ "New Rebel Group Secrets Emerge". Red Pepper. 22 October 2013. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  10. 1 2 "Uganda's Uhuru Declaration: Freedom and Unity Front". Black Star News. 8 October 2013. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  11. ↑ "Renegade Ugandan general declares war on Museveni". Sudan Tribune. 22 November 2013. Archived from the original on 20 January 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  12. ↑ "Opposition: yes we can't beat Museveni". Observer.ug. 9 January 2014. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  13. 1 2 3 "FUF – The struggle to redeem and renew Uganda continues (Letter from Prof. Amii Omara-Otunnu)". MinBane. 24 July 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  14. ↑ Koehler, Werne (November 2002). UNESCO Chairs in human rights, democracy, peace and tolerance. UNESCO Chairs in human rights, democracy, peace and tolerance bulletin, no. 4 (in English and French). Austria: European University Center for Peace Studies. pp. 170–174. ISBN 3-900630-17-8. Retrieved 6 July 2026 – via UNESCO.
  15. ↑ The Daily Campus (3 March 2017). "Student ambassadors protest UNESCO chair termination". The Daily Campus. Archived from the original on 18 August 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  16. ↑ "Freedom and Unity Front 'Situation Analysis Report' No2". Pan African Visions. 14 November 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  17. ↑ "Uganda: Manifesto Of The Freedom And Unity Front". Black Star News. 14 December 2013. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  18. ↑ "Uganda has become a dictatorship under Museveni's Rule". Fuf-uganda.org. Archived from the original on 20 December 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  19. ↑ Wilmot, Phil (23 July 2015). "Organized youth and top-level defections threaten Uganda's dictatorship". Waging Nonviolence. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  20. ↑ Kamwada, Fred Daka (6 September 2022). "Our Take: Why Gen. David Sejusa and fellow Retired UPDF Officers Might Not but Transit into a Huge Political Force". The Investigator News. Archived from the original on 3 August 2025. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
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