Article Published on:
28th April 2005. |
FLASHBACK: NRM feared secret ballot even in 2002 |
Recently, Parliament voted for a motion moved by Minister Nyombi Thembo to do away with secret voting when changing the Constitution. This is the second time the ruling party is battling secret ballot. On May 9, 2002, the opposition moved a motion calling for secret ballot during reconsideration of the Political Parties and Organisations Act.
We have passed the other clauses transparently. So, I would not see the reason why we would like to pass this particular motion (allowing parties to open branches at district) in hiding. I therefore urge my colleagues to reject this motion, if possible, so that we vote transparently. BEN WACHA: For the last two days, we have been engaged in a debate that will shape the future of our politics. It is obvious that this particular clause that we are going to vote on is the gist of this particular bill. It is therefore necessary that when we come to pronounce ourselves on it, we must do it with our consciences free of any fear, but knowing that we shall personally own our decisions. It is important that we recognise that which ever way, this particular clause will have an impact on the future of our country. It is important that each one of us takes personal responsibility for the repercussions of our actions. BERNARD MULENGANI: We have been voting on several occasions through the secret ballot since we came to the 7th Parliament. The Commissioners were elected through the secret ballot, even parliamentarians came through the secret ballot, and particularly I am talking about the august House internal elections. The Members of the East African Community were 3ed through the secret ballot. In my own observation, there is none other than the show of the hands that is very transparent and very open and very free. KAHINDA OTAFIIRE: I think a political system is like faith. When somebody is a Muslim, they wear these religious scarves to identify their faith. Catholic priests wear cassocks and soldiers wear uniforms. A political system is a faith. That you belong to the multi-party system is no crime. It is not in the penal code. That you belong to this other faith is not bad. We should stand to be counted. Let us know where everybody is. What are you hiding? Ona ficha nini? JAMES KAKOOZA: .We have a saying in my culture that once a snake poisons you, when you see a lizard, you also run away. I do not agree with the Hon. Aggrey Awori when he says that we should vote secretly. First, I want to be on record. Some of us want to identify ourselves because we have been called radicals; we have been called everything. I do not see why somebody who supports the radical point of view does not go on record so that they see, as they said in the newspapers, that some of us are radicals and core supporters of the Movement. This shows we have got a constituency binding us to our voters. GEOFFREY EKANYA: I want to tell the members here that our democracy is a growing democracy. After being in power for 16 years, recently Government had to even introduce secret voting for LCI chairmen in the village. I want to make an appeal to members that when voting through secret ballot; it is your freedom that is guaranteed. JENNIFER NAMUYANGU: I know that all of us are here on individual merit, and we are here for the betterment of this country. I believe in transparency and I do not see why a honourable member can fear to vote openly. Voting secretly is not only expensive in terms of time and resources, we also have to start preparing the ballot papers and you can imagine it might take us the whole of today and tomorrow. MICHAEL MABIKKE: I would like to dispel the fears of some Members of Parliament who have contributed before me that actually some members are scared of voting in public. We are not scared of voting in public. The whole point is the fear of undue influence. PATRICK MWONDHA: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. This is not a normal bill. It is a bill, which had passed through this House and was waiting for assent. His Excellency the President has now returned it. Therefore the position of His Excellency the President is well known about this bill. The contentious nature of the bill arises from that very fact. GUMA GUMISIRIZA: Mr. Chairman, if I was on the frontline in the military sense, I would prefer someone who would give me the actual information on the ground rather than preferring some information which can mislead you and you possibly all perish. JACK SABIITI: This article in my opinion is an article that we should own ourselves. All of us should feel we are a party to it. I am saying this because we should not cause conflict. We should rather create barriers for causing conflict in this country. So, I appeal to you that let all of us own this article. If we do not own it, being a contentious issue, it may cause unnecessary conflict. I therefore appeal to you that the 16 years we have gone through, we have created cadres, we have created the mobilisers, and we have tried to teach our people that we want democracy in this country. JESSICA ERIYO: We are going to vote on a matter that is going to affect our constituencies, and a matter that is going to affect everybody nation-wide. Why are we hiding? I therefore suggest that we vote by show of hands. And I beg to move that this debate be closed. THE CHAIRMAN: Hon. Members, the position is this: Those abstaining are three; those for the motion are 60 and those against are 146. |
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