Chifu, To retort with an editorial from the Government owned mouthpiece is true to your character.
The fact that the political Parties have chosen litigation is testament to the fact that the political Parties are not part of the causes for the violence that has plagued my country. To follow Museveni's example is to go to the bush and not to Court. If it is indeed half, nay even a quarter true that Museveni has done so much for the country then why is it inconceivable for him to fail to hold competitive multiparty elections on a level playing field in 18 years? If what you believe to be true is in fact true then those of us who do not share your views will be resoundedly trounced and forced to retreat in silence when defeated in a competitive multiparty election on a level playing field. We are not asking for any special consideration but just that we are free to exercise and enjoy our God given personal to holder fundamental rights and freedoms. To deny us this simply because Museveni has done such great things for the country totally defies logic. The fact that there was a promise for democratic election after 4 years (1990) yet the intention was and is to make himself a life President should show you that despite the bravado, Museveni does not share your unbridled confidence in his ability to win competitive elections and has resorted to suppress the opposition. On dictators, Hitler was a democratically elected Chancellor before becoming a dictator who managed to restore the German economy. The million life question is at what cost to the citizens of Germany and Europe not to mention North Africa? Museveni is a dictator who it can be proved did not have an economic programme for Uganda save the failed Barter-trade, and the cost in the lives of citizens in Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, DRC and Sudan is neither acceptable nor desirable. Stories in the press today quote him as saying that there are about 400 'rebels' in eight groups while there are over 1,400,000 (one million four hundred thousand) Ugandans in Internally Displaced Peoples Camps with poor facilities who according to your beloved Museveni says "that whereas people in camps do not live very comfortably, they are still alive, their children go to school and they get relief food and other items however modest." There is a saying that "a man's home is his castle". Those in the camps have lost absolutely everything and are living in cauldrons of inhumanity but Museveni does not seem to share the concern when considered with the fact that the displacement has been a norm for almost 18 years and has at times risen to over 2.7 million (to quote Museveni himself) Ugandans displaced. Let us not count those Ugandans who have sought refuge with friends and relatives or opted for the deep blue sea of exile. The Fugee ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chifu" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, February 09, 2004 8:31 PM Subject: [Mwananchi] Re: Museveni outlines NRM achievements? > And an editorial from New Vision... > > I have stated that even though Museveni is a dictator but he has done > more for Uganda than the previous presidents combined!! I will refer > you to the following piece: > > "Fortunately, the Museveni era grants unlimited space for the > dissemination of all types of ideas no matter where they come from. > > That is why even political dwarfs have room in which to air half- > baked (or is it quarter-baked?) theories such as the notion that the > Movement should be wound up because the referendum law was nullified > by the Supreme Court. They are not even aware that the Movement's > existence is provided for by the Constitution itself and does not > depend on the whims of opposition politicians." > > > Chifu > > http://allafrica.com/stories/200402090640.html > A Better Idea for Ssemogerere > Paul Waibale Senior > Kampala > > DR Paul Ssemogerere, leader of the Democratic Party which lost its de- > jure status when the Political Parties and Organisations Act was > enacted, should be commended for his courage to agitate for the > installment of multi-pronged chaos in Uganda. > > Without bothering to look beyond the length of his nose, the DP boss > told a haphazardly assembled press conference that he was calling on > President Museveni to resign in acknowledgement of the Supreme Court > ruling which declared the Referendum Act null and void. > > > Ironically, Ssemogerere (Lugave clan names experts say his correct > name should be "Ssimwogerere") did not say whether it was himself or > somebody else who would take over from Museveni when the guerilla- > turned-president was "frightened" out of State House. > > It is not too far-fetched to guess that Semogerere nurses the hope > that Museveni would be replaced by another administration of the type > of Tito Okello's short-lived regime or the NRM/NRA pre-1995 era which > would pick him a minister, supposedly to appease partisan interests. > After all, that is the way he twice managed to scramble for a cabinet > seat. > > But that is if he ever bothered to preface his demand for President > Museveni's resignation with a bird's eye view of the consequences of > such eventuality. > > Ssemogerere's contention is that since the referendum which gave the > Movement the green- light to continue was null and void, therefore > Museveni's election under the Movement system was defective, > therefore he should resign. > > But he forgets that President Museveni is not the only one who would > have to go if the Supreme Court decision was interpreted to mean a > nullification of all offices filled after the holding of the > referendum. > > Let me point out that such interpretation would render the > parliamentary elections invalid, therefore we would have no > Parliament to transact any business and of course no Cabinet to play > the role of the Executive. > > Equally invalid would be the election of LC5 chairpersons and mayors > (including John Ssebaana Kizito who is Ssemogerere's right-hand man > and DP's treasurer) and lower LCs chairmen and councillors. This > means the entire local government system would be wrecked. > > Interestingly, one or two of the Supreme Court judges who were on the > panel which nullified the referendum law were themselves appointed by > Museveni and approved by a Parliament elected after the referendum. > This means, by the interpretation Ssemogerere seeks to advance, the > Supreme Court panel of judges was not validly constituted. It was > therefore incompentent to make the ruling it purported to make. > > But I do not think that apart from desperate politicians like > Ssemogerere, falsely convinced they can save themselves from sinking > by holding on to a straw, nobody in his right mind can contemplate > ushering in such a situation merely in a bid to serve selfish > interests. > > Be that as it may, the fact that the referendum that extended the > life of the Movement was invalid does not mean that the Movement was > strangled. The demise of the Movement and subsequent change to > multipartyism had to be decided by referendum. Since there was no > referendum to sanction such transformation, the status quo has to > continue. > > If Semogerere, having failed to gain power through the ballot, thinks > he can gain entry into State House via constant litigation in the > courts, he is grossly mistaken. Nor is it possible to achieve > political power in Uganda through blackmail. > > Recent threats by DP, UPC and Reform Agenda agitators that they will > file petitions to seek nullification of other laws unless the > Government concedes to their demands is a typical example of the > misguided political approach which charaterises opposition politics > in Uganda. > > Fortunately, the Museveni era grants unlimited space for the > dissemination of all types of ideas no matter where they come from. > > That is why even political dwarfs have room in which to air half- > baked (or is it quarter-baked?) theories such as the notion that the > Movement should be wound up because the referendum law was nullified > by the Supreme Court. They are not even aware that the Movement's > existence is provided for by the Constitution itself and does not > depend on the whims of opposition politicians. > > > > If I were in Ssemogerere's shoes, my priority at the moment would be > to legalise the status of DP by getting it registered as the law > clearly stipulates. > > His would accord him the opportunity to usher DP into the party's > leadership elections and, being the spent force that he is, pass on > DP's package of political failure to somebody who might have > something to do about it. > > > > > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> > Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark > Printer at MyInks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada. > http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511 > http://us.click.yahoo.com/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/XgSolB/TM > ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> > > You can join Mwananchi at http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/mwananchi > for discussions on African affairs. > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mwananchi/ > > <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > -------------------------------------------- This service is hosted on the Infocom network http://www.infocom.co.ug
