Former FDC Legal Secretary Okot Moses Bitek Joins NRM, Says He Wants to Serve From Within Government

KAMPALA — Former legislator and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) national legal secretary, Hon. Okot Moses Bitek, has officially crossed to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), saying his decision was driven by a desire to work from within government to better advance the interests and development needs of his constituents.

Bitek was formally received at the NRM headquarters in Kampala by the party Secretary General, Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong, alongside a group of former FDC members from Amolatar District who also joined the ruling party.

The delegation included former FDC members, district leaders and former political contestants from Amolatar. They were accompanied by the Amolatar NRM District Chairman, Olwit Kamilo, and members of the district's NRM Executive Committee.

Welcoming Bitek and his colleagues, Todwong said the move followed discussions that had taken place over a period of time, expressing satisfaction that the former opposition politician had finally made the decision to join the NRM.

“I'm extremely happy that today you have gained the courage to march with your troops to the party headquarters,” Todwong said.

The NRM Secretary General assured Bitek and the other new members that they would enjoy the same rights and opportunities as other members of the ruling party, regardless of their previous political affiliations.

He said Bitek would be formally registered as an NRM member and would be free to participate in party activities, contest for leadership positions and contribute to the party's programmes.

Todwong noted that the NRM has historically attracted and accommodated people from different political and ideological backgrounds, arguing that political differences should not permanently prevent leaders from working together for the development of the country.

“You never know your one-time potential ally could have been a one-time adversary, so you have to work together,” he said.

The Secretary General urged Bitek to put his political experience and leadership skills to use in advancing the development of his people.

According to Todwong, leadership must continuously evolve in response to the changing needs of communities. He said population growth, migration, economic activities and the emergence of new settlements were among the factors that require leaders to remain open-minded and responsive.

He also used the occasion to encourage politicians in the opposition to consider working within government structures, particularly in areas where the government has continued to expand service delivery.

Todwong pointed to sectors including education, health, roads, electricity and local government as areas where he said the NRM government had made significant interventions.

“It's very difficult to oppose when government is doing everything,” Todwong said, challenging opposition leaders to consider working from within government to contribute towards improving both the quality and quantity of services delivered to citizens.

Bitek says decision was carefully considered

Speaking after being received into the NRM, Bitek said his decision to leave the FDC and join the ruling party was not rushed or made without careful consideration.

“I have come to the NRM not like a headless chicken. I have come with reason and purpose,” Bitek said.

Bitek, who previously served as chairperson of the FDC Makerere University chapter before rising to become the party's national legal secretary, acknowledged that his decision represented a major political transition after years spent in opposition politics.

He said he was joining the NRM with a clear purpose of learning from the party's experienced leaders while also contributing the skills and political experience he had gained throughout his years in public life and opposition politics.

“I have come to learn from the best, like the Secretary General and sober people in the NRM that I know of,” he said.

Bitek said his experience during the 11th Parliament had shaped his understanding of how government operates and convinced him that some of the challenges affecting his people could be addressed more effectively through engagement and cooperation with government.

He said his decision was therefore motivated by the desire to contribute more directly to the development of his constituents and to participate in national development.

The former legislator also called upon former political opponents to put aside past disagreements and find ways of working together.

According to Bitek, political competition should not stand in the way of cooperation when it comes to addressing the needs of communities and promoting national development.

Amolatar NRM leaders welcome new members Amolatar

NRM District Chairman Olwit Kamilo welcomed Bitek and the other former FDC members, assuring them that they would be treated as full and equal members of the ruling party.

“This party is for everybody. Let no one abuse you. This is your party,” Kamilo said.

Kamilo pledged the support of the NRM leadership in Amolatar to the new members and expressed confidence that more politicians from opposition parties could eventually make the decision to join the ruling party.

He said the NRM's doors remained open to Ugandans willing to participate in the party's activities and contribute towards the country's development agenda.

The event was also attended by Bitek's mother, Mrs. Akuno Kelle, an elder in Amolatar District, who welcomed her son's decision to join the NRM.

Kelle thanked party members and leaders who had supported Bitek during his political transition and said she had continued to offer him advice and guidance as he considered his political future.

She said her guidance had encouraged him to reflect on the potential benefits of working more closely with the government in advancing the interests of his people.

Bitek's defection adds to a growing trend of politicians crossing between political parties as Uganda's political landscape continues to evolve. His move from a senior legal and leadership position within the FDC to the ruling NRM is likely to attract attention, particularly in Amolatar and the wider Lango sub-region, where political parties continue to compete for influence and support.

For Bitek, however, the transition marks what he described as a deliberate new chapter in his political career — one in which he hopes to combine his experience in opposition politics with participation in the ruling party to pursue development and service delivery for his constituents.