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By Alfred Wasike
NATIONAL Political Commissar Dr Crispus Kiyonga has blasted local government minister Jaberi Bidandi Ssali and other Movement leaders for indiscipline and not addressing their views to the correct fora.
“For my elder brother Bidandi Ssali and other Movement leaders to go out and talk about issues that are supposed to be addressed by certain legal fora, is not correct. It is very improper. It is the highest class of indiscipline. It is not procedural for him and others to talk as if they don’t know the correct fora,” Kiyonga said yesterday during the weekly President’s Office briefing co-ordinated by information minister Basoga Nsadhu.
Kiyonga was answering questions about the recent publication in the press of documents indicating that President Yoweri Museveni had proposed that Uganda returns to multiparty politics.
Kiyonga led a 22-member ad hoc committee created by the Movement’s National Executive Committee (NEC) in December 2001 to evaluate the performance of the Movement amid calls to open up the political space.
Wagging his finger, Kiyonga, a senior Movement ideologue, said, “I have learnt some very useful tips in politics from Bidandi Ssali. He is a leading and senior member of our progressive politics. It is not correct for him to do that. We acknowledge that people change but they should communicate their views in the proper fora. Indisciplined Movement leaders are to be punished very severely. People should listen to President Museveni or the Movement vice-chairman (Moses Kigongo) or me, the NPC, or the NEC or the National Conference, among other proper authorities.”
Bidandi has strongly called for the debate to succeed Museveni to start now ahead of presidential elections in 2006. Under the Constitution, Museveni cannot stand again. Bidandi has also called for a return to full party politics.
Kiyonga strongly urged his compatriots to continue supporting the Movement system of governance, saying its many achievements needed time to consoli!
date. He dismissed as untrue media reports that his National Executive Committee (NEC) appointed team met Museveni on January 28, 2003 and that the NEC conference to decide on the fate of the Movement was to take place this month as reported in the local media. He said the NEC would sit next month.
Both Kiyonga and Basoga lashed out at The New Vision and The Monitor newspapers for publishing excerpts from the Kiyonga Committee interim report. They called it “mere speculation that might cause stampede in the population.”
A furious Basoga threatened to take “visible” action against The New Vision. “I am not blocking press freedom but insisting on professionalism. I condemn what The New Vision did. I do not expect The New Vision to steal documents,” he said.
He said Articles 73 and 74 of the Constitution guide Uganda’s road to democratisation.
“We are the cooks. We are still in the kitchen. There are not too many cooks. Food will be ready in 2004. That is when lunch will be ready to be eaten. Be patient till the food has been properly fried. We are not hiding anything. The Movement is a transparent organisation.” He said Uganda would decide on a political system in 2004.
Kiyonga said the Movement was in Uganda to stay. He said if the changes were sudden, the gains might be endangered.
He said in 1996, 2000 and 2001 people voted for President Museveni and the Movement in the referendum and that the Movement was enshrined in the Movement Act.
“More than 80% of the members of the current parliament came to the House after professing attachment to the Movement. We are waiting for the Constitution Review Commission to tell us more,” he argued.
On the fate of political parties calling for a national convention, he said, “People will decide whether they are ready for parties or not. These parties are not serious. Why should they address us through the press?”
Asked if Museveni had softened his stance on parties, Kiyonga said, “It is not up to Museveni to okay parties. He can have a !
view tha
t he must sell to all Ugandans. That would be very undemocratic. That is not the Museveni I know.”
Asked if he would stand for president in 2006, Kiyonga laughed and said, “I will answer that when we are close to 2006. But let us follow the set rules otherwise we can cause unnecessary stampede.” Ends
Published on: Friday, 21st February, 2003 |
