Catholic talk splits ministers
By Felix Basiime
March 2, 2004
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MBARARA – Two Cabinet ministers have clashed over whether candidates should be elected on the basis of affirmative action. Two weeks ago, Water, Lands and Environment minister Col. Kahinda Otafiire advised the electorate in Bushenyi to vote a Protestant candidate in the by-election for woman Member of Parliament to “balance” out the Catholic-dominated district leadership. President Museveni later said that he supported Otafiire’s position. “We the Catholic Laity of Mbarara Archdiocese [Mbarara, Bushenyi and Ntungamo districts] condemn the statement attributed to Hon. Kahinda Otafiire that the people of Bushenyi should not vote for a Catholic,” they said in a February 21 statement endorsed by Kasenene, who also is the state minister in charge of Privatisation. “It’s against the Constitution of Uganda.” On hearing about the news statement, Otafiire bought airtime worth Shs 400,000 on a local FM radio station here on February 26 and used the time to lambaste his Cabinet colleague. “How can Kasenene condemn me when he himself was brought to politics through the affirmative action?” Otafiire said. “He should leave us in Bushenyi settle our own differences.” Kasenene contested the Isingiro North Parliamentary seat and lost to Maj. Bright Rwamirama. Isingiro is in Mbarara district. Mr Museveni later appointed him to the Cabinet. In his press release, Kasenene argued that Otafiire’s position is against the principle of individual merit “which has been guiding principle in the Movement system”. In response to this, Otafiire said that the head of the laity was preaching to the converted. “How can Kasenene teach me the principles of the Movement when I was the first political commissar?” he asked. When contacted later for comment, Kasenene said: “We are talking of a Constitution. It does not belong to a political commissar or a President. It states that the elections shall be on individual merit.” He added: “Affirmative action is done to people or groups that were in the past discriminated [against] and therefore [Otafiire] should bring evidence that the Protestants in Bushenyi were discriminated against.” |
© 2004 The Monitor Publications
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