Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) leaders including the party president Patrick Amuriat appeared before the Magistrate’s Court of Soroti on April 1, 2025, to answer what they describe as politically motivated charges.
The court session which many FDC members claim is part of a broader effort to stifle opposition voices ended in an adjournment, with the case now set to resume on April 28, 2025.
FDC officials have condemned the repeated court summons, calling them a deliberate act of political harassment aimed at derailing the party’s activities ahead of the 2026 elections.
“This is nothing but an attempt to intimidate and silence us.”
The party’s supporters have pointed to a pattern of legal battles targeting opposition leaders a tactic they claim has been used repeatedly to weaken political challengers.
Meanwhile, Amuriat and Members of Parliament; Joan Alobo (Soroti City Woman), Jonathan Ebwalu (Soroti City West), and Julius Ekudo (Akobo County), were arrested earlier this month in Soroti while protesting the government’s ‘failure’ to fulfill its promise to compensate livestock lost during past insurgencies.
The demonstration was organized under the slogan “No Cow – No Vote,” started at the FDC offices in Akisim Cell 2, Akisim Ward, before moving to Soroti Main Street where protesters blocked roads and burned tires, disrupting traffic.
They were charged with unlawful assembly, common nuisance, burning vehicle tires on the road, blocking traffic and assaulting three police officers. Later on, the Soroti Chief Magistrate Court granted them after recognizing their sureties.
Officials insist that the charges are legitimate and not politically motivated. With the next hearing scheduled for April 28, all eyes are on how the judiciary will handle the case, Authorities insist that the accused individuals must answer for their actions in accordance with the law.
