RE: ugnet_: Ibingira on Obote's Secret Wars and Abuse of Office

[Ed Kironde]

Futher Evidence: U.A stands for Uganda Argus and the year is 1967   1                     Turning to civil liberties, our rights could be suspended summarily under the proposals and there was no recourse to the courts to find out why they had been suspended. This was the biggest indication of autocracy. The members were giving the President power to appoint everybody, dismiss everybody, nominate one third of the Parliament and detain them in the bargain.... Mr. Nekyon said the proposals provided for an autocracy or an African-type of democracy. Which prevailed would depend on the person who held the office of President. The concentration of powers in one person was not completely justified. Some of the powers given to the President were excessive. There should be a balance between the office of President and the judiciary, and the system of Parliament. A.A. NEKYON (UPC, Lango S.E.) U.A. 30th June   2    What a shame that Members of Parliament should be asked by our President to give him powers to detain us and after he had done so to give him powers not to be taken to a court of law. J. W. KIWANUKA (UPC, Mubende N.) U.A. 14th July 3    He had also suggested in 1963 that if people attempted to cause trouble in the country a detention act should be passed to deal with them. (He said) Today lam very happy that the Government has seen fit to bring about my dream. I am happy that it is now going to not be only my idea but the idea of the entire nation. Mr. Lakidi hoped all Members would support it. It had not been introduced lightly by the Government, but only after a lot of thought. The Government had been thinking about it since 1963. If we had in the 1962 Constitution a section about a detention act in it I am sure Sir Edward Mutesa would be still here today. I embrace this article (on detention) as mine, because I was the first person to come out with it. E. Y. LAKIDI (Min. of State, Public Serv. and Cab. Affairs) U.A. 15th July 4          Discussing the Opposition's proposal that there should be recognition of the post of Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Katiti, asked where was the Opposition. They were not significantly represented in the House. Mr. Okelo informed the House that an effective Opposition did not depend on numbers alone. Although they were few, they had saved the country from catastrophe on more than one occasion. On another point of information, Mr. Shafiq Arain (UPC Specially Elected) said there was also the question of how seriously the Opposition took their responsibility. Instead of being in the House to discuss the proposals, the named Leader of the Opposition was away in America attending some "schoolboy seminar." The Minister of Defence, Mr. Felix Onama, added that the Opposition had not contributed constructively to the affairs of the nation. They had merely opposed for the sake of opposing. Resuming, the Minister thanked Government speakers for their information. C. B. KATITI (Minister of Cult. & Comm. Dev.) U.A. 19th July     --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.506 / Virus Database: 303 - Release Date: 8/1/2003