By Karoli Ssemogerere
June 2, 2003
| Capping another week in the President Yoweri Museveni third term project drama, was a preposterous proposal by the National Political Commissar, Dr Crispus Bazarrabusa Kiyonga to Democratic Party leaders requesting for a meeting to iron out their minor differences. Dr Kiyonga's outstretched arm did not include addressing the key deficiencies in Uganda's political system, that we continue to see unravelling by the day.
First is the continued militarisation of the political process, that has choked the ability of national institutions and organizations to organize and realise the democracy quotient. Second, is the continued obsession with a personality cult rule enveloped around the person of the incumbent president and his family that is killing the critical and delicate process of evolution of genuinely national political leaders to shape the destiny of the country's future. Third, is the institutionalisation of a system that has come to be synonymous with corruption, manipulation, and deceptive respect for wishes of the majority of Ugandans. The corruption mafia has ensured that the benefits of economic growth in the consumer economy are limited to a narrow segment of the population, which has reaped from the immense social fall-out where Ugandans are willing to do almost anything to lift themselves from poverty. Fourth, is a growing catalytic apathy for national institutions like the Judiciary and with them the rule of law. Ugandans largely, even in areas of relative political stability, continue to enjoy those rights as benevolently granted to them by the national leaders. Opposition in any form whether peaceful barazas, political rallies, graduation parties, road demonstrations like those in Bunyoro is lethargic and poisonous even while we continue to fail to deal with more fundamental problems like the rebellion in Acholi. The next major flaw in Dr Kiyonga's analysis is a total failure to account as to why Uganda has been subjected to this costly experiment, through fraud, fear and deception. Then as now, political critics pointed to the Movement political system as a complete farce, a dress to be worn and shoved into the closet once it had won over the hearts of Ugandans. The light years Uganda has lost, in both economics and social change, to politicking is already beyond the pale. This fraud began with a similar process initiated by the now sacked former national political commissar, Mr Eriya Kategaya in the run-up to the 1994 Constituent Assembly elections, and was a cap to the 1992 National Resistance Ccouncil "Gentleman's Resolution" that suspended political party activity during the constitution making process. A position that gained legal currency in the Rwanyarare and Others v Attorney General, Constitutional Case No. 1 of 1993. It is instructive that Judge Alice Nansikombi Bahigeine's lead judgement completely reversed itself in the recent ruling that declared the Movement nothing more than a political faction, that was clinging to the structures of state - in effect creating a one party state prohibited by Article 75 of the Constitution. After 1994, Eriya Kategaya made a further analysis of the situation claiming rightfully that money was completely corrupting the political process after Abbey Kafumbe Mukasa and Capt. Francis Babu spent unprecedented amounts of money in the Kampala Central race. He, like others, soon changed wagons mid-stream to form Danze and Heritage Inc. to perpetuate the same bribery in 1996 from which the political system has never recovered to this date. What we find ourselves in today is a quandary of sorts. Political parties need to be allowed to reorganise internally without pre-conditions. Political parties alone are not a solution to the current mess. Infact, to presume so would be extremely dangerous. The moral fabric of the state is at stake. Waking up and giving Mr Museveni powers both constitutional and extra constitutional is such a huge organisational risk to the stability of Uganda. Ugandans need a roundtable to renegotiate their contract with an entity that was formed long after they had settled in their communities. It would be a tragedy of untold proportions if political parties signed off onto piecemeal reforms like funding of political parties in order to perpetuate a basic injustice and corrupt political system. The Movement then as now has never failed in its wily attempts to confuse and manipulate all sectors of society. It has deteriorated to an extent that its planted followers likes of Vincent Kirabokyamaria, Peter Kasenene and many others in different faiths, social organisations, and cultural organisations will issue the Mr Museveni refrain even when it completely distorts the genuine feelings and aspirations of the organisations they represent. That is why Msgr. Joseph Obunga should not be embarrassed with a Mr Kaseneene pretending to speak on his behalf, and why Dr Kiyonga returned to his boss, carrot in hand, with no prey attached. |
© 2003 The Monitor Publications
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