| Parties Want Talks |
![]() |
|
TERMS? Rwanyarare |
By Felix Osike
and John Eremu
MULTIPARTYISTS and reform activists have called for a national convention involving all the political groups, following reports that President Yoweri Museveni has agreed to free political parties.
Uganda People�s Congress, the Democratic Party and the Reform Agenda of exiled former presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye,said major political reforms were required to shape the political future of the country which has been ruled under the Movement system for the last 17 years.
�The only solution to Uganda�s problems is a national conference involving all political parties to decide on the way forward. Piecemeal deals or bribes to some dissidents like happened in the now collapsing peace agreement with UNRF II of West Nile or the use of amnesty will not help either. What is needed is a convention where all stakeholders will freely be invited and consensus reached,� said UPC�s presidential policy commission chairman Dr James Rwanyarare.
The partyists said discussion on the restoration of political parties was crucial now in order to avoid �crash-landing,� in the 2006 general elections. In a joint statement, the partyists said the conference should be convened under a neutral chairperson
DP president general Dr. Paul Ssemogerere called on Museveni to respect and keep his expressed opinion on liberalising politics in Uganda and not backpedal the issue.
�He should move boldly and steadfastly to effect the necessary legislation to that effect,� he said.
He said his party had all along been pressing for full-fledged democratic governance with all its attributes, including organised political pluralism and full political competition on equal terms under the law.
UPC iron lady Cecilia Ogwal said, �I am not excited by President Museveni�s decree to free parties. What we want is total freedom as enshrined in Article 29 of the Constitution which allows freedom of association, not taking our freedom on the mouth of an indi!
vidual.�
She said parties had been tethered, oppressed and harassed since 1986 when the Government made a political pronouncement banning party activities.
She said this position has since been reinforced by the dreaded Article 269 of the 1995 Constitution now entrenched in the Political Parties and Organisations Act 2001.
Both Ssemogerere and Ogwal called for the scrapping of the Movement Act 1997 under which all Ugandans are deemed to belong to the Movement.
Winnie Byanyima, a key figure in the RA and Mbarara Municipality MP said, �If this change of heart has come, it is welcome. However, we are still advocating for a wider package of reforms necessary to put the country back to real democracy.�
Ends
Published on: Thursday, 20th February, 2003 |
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, and more
