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Govt Rejects Opposition Demands
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The Monitor (Kampala)
January 10, 2004
Posted to the web January 9, 2004
Ssemujju Ibrahim Nganda
Kampala
Government has rejected some of the demands the political parties had made before taking part in a dialogue on the transition process.
On December 22 last year, the parties met at Christ the King Church in Kampala and outlined conditions they wanted fulfilled before holding talks with government.
They demanded that a Cabinet proposal to remove the presidential term limits is dropped and that a national conference be held in May.
They also demanded a unified government after the 2006 general elections, the right to hold public meetings, freeing of political prisoners and an end to chaka mchaka (military courses).
But according to a January 3 letter signed by the National Political Commissar Dr Crispus Kiyonga, government described some of the demands as "unacceptable".
Instead, government has proposed a meeting with the parties on January 16.
"Finally, I want to make it clear that while the government is happy with the general response from your side, particularly agreeing to participate in the consultations, your document contains some matters and insinuations not agreeable to the government side. These matters will be clearly spelt out with your representative preparatory team," reads the letter.
The minister of Internal Affairs, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda confirmed in an interview on Wednesday that a government team had indeed written to the parties. But he declined to give details.
The National Political Commissar Dr Crispus Kiyonga who heads the government negotiating team has been in the US for nearly two months.
In his absence Dr Ruhakana Rugunda is chairing the team.
Dr Rugunda said they are still discussing the parties' demands.
The National Democratic Forum (NDF) president Mr Chapaa Karuhanga acknowledged receipt of Rugunda's letter and said his party is still committed to the dialogue.
He hoped that the government would be made to see sense during the dialogue.
But the DP and UPC leaders were still meeting, on Wednesday, supposedly to agree on how to respond to the letter.
A desk officer at the Justice Forum offices said that party members were due to meet to discuss the letter and other matters
