Re: ugnet_: ‘Federo’ is a fantasy

[emmanuel musaazi]

Whoever was responsible for this editorial, does not understand the concept 
of federalism. First of all how does he know that the final federal system 
agreed upon will take the shape he is outlining (talk about puting the cart 
before the horse). The final system will depend on negotiations which will 
involve a lot of tradeoffs and compromises, it's not about 'winner takes 
all'. Secondly, the Primeminister does not have to be the Kabaka (there 
doesn't even need to be a prime minister). Federalism will help spread 
development around the country, new city capitals will spring up and along 
with them jobs, institutions of learning and investements. Federalism will 
also help to reduce the concentration of power at the center which will on 
the long run enhance democracy. As for taxes, well a tax sharing and 
allocation formular will be part of the negotiations, this is why i said 
that the more the number of regions involved in the negotiations the better 
for the whole country. Right now everybody is only hearing the Buganda 
proposal because other regions have not formaly and in an organized fashion, 
put forward their proposals. The other regions should stop wining and come 
with ideas, that is what democracy is all about, isn't it, democracy lovers?


From: "Mitayo Potosi" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: ugnet_: ‘Federo’ is a fantasy
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2003 17:35:19 +0000
Editorial : newvision 26/8/2003

‘Federo’ is a fantasy

CABINET HAS decided to push for the lifting of term limits for the 
presidency and a return to federo.

However, a representative of the Buganda kingdom has responded that the two 
issues should be delinked.

He is right. The two issues are both too complex to consider together.

In particular the restoration of federo, or a federal kingdom, is risky.

Firstly, the dominance of the Buganda kingdom at independence created a 
political imbalance that destabilised the country.

Secondly, a federal kingdom is not the most progressive form of government. 
As head of state, the Kabaka will appoint chiefs, ministers and officials. 
What will happen to the authority of democratically elected LC5 and LC3 
officials?

Thirdly, is an additional layer of administration in Buganda even 
necessary?

Fourthly, this administration will have to be funded either by local 
taxation or by increased taxation by the central government. If the central 
government pays, a peasant in West Nile might ask why his tax payments go 
to the Kabaka of Buganda.

Fifthly, how many Baganda truly want federo? Many elected LC officials 
favour loose cooperation under a charter, as Busoga is attempting, but 
oppose the idea of an administrative federal kingdom.

Federo has become a fantasy, a dream for a return to the 1950s and 1960s 
when people were more prosperous and society more orderly. But it is 
impossible to turn the clock back. If the kingdom returns, Baganda will 
still find themselves in today’s Uganda where the world coffee price is 
lower than the 1960s and KCC cannot fix the roads.

It is not worth changing the Constitution for the sake of an illusion.

Published on: Tuesday, 26th August, 2003

Email this article to a friend.

Mitayo Potosi

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