[Ugnet] Weekly Observer: NRM feared secret ballot even in 2002

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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 reproduce the debate in Parliament as recorded in The Hansard. It is Thursday, May 9, 2002. The Speaker, Edward Ssekandi, is in the Chair: AGGREY AWORI: I move that we suspend the rules so that Members can pronounce themselves through secret ballot. ROSEMARY SENINDE: I do not actually agree with Hon. Awori’s motion. Mr. Chairman, you will agree with me that we have all along been calling for transparency. (Applause). Nyombi Thembo 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. If we gave political parties a chance to go down to the districts for example, I would not have a problem with that, but you see, at the national level, they act as a block. When they are sent down there, they will go as individuals and they will compete. Their competition is indisciplined. Their indiscipline will tear their national cohesion. That is advantageous to us, but that same indiscipline will cause havoc in our nation. Since this is a creed, since everybody wants to be identified with what they believe - (Laughter) - and believe openly, I urge Members of Parliament to all vote publicly. 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. It is true that two Members of Parliament in an earlier debate expressed fears of notes of intimidation. The matter before us is very contentious. Some MPs confided in me that they fear the domineering presence of the National Political Commissar, Hon. [Crispus] Kiyonga - (Laughter). 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. A friend of mine always reminds me that the best way of becoming incompetent is to do somebody else’s job. This House is at a stage of doing somebody else’s job. This House is at a stage of losing its independence. It is unprecedented that the entire Cabinet in its full strength is now in the House, so much so that one ex-officio Member was even trying to vote yesterday! One sure way of avoiding the ex-officio members voting in this important matter is for every one of us to have a ballot paper. We are legislating not for those of us who are living today but for even those not yet born. That is why it is important that the supremacy, the sovereignty and independence of this Parliament must be protected by a secret vote on this matter. 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. If I were campaigning, I would prefer an agent who tells me exactly what is happening in the corner of the constituency so that I find an appropriate response for the problem raised in that particular constituency. If I were in charge of a political process, I would prefer a colleague to tell me precisely what is obtaining so that I can make an appropriate response, if any. Mr. Chairman, I beg and passionately appeal to Members of this Parliament to leave members to exercise their utmost thinking and conscience. Thank you. I am for secret voting. 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. Surely, it is not at this time in this year that we should now try to create barriers for democracy in this country. I therefore appeal to you, Mr. Chairman that these honourable members of Parliament should be allowed to exercise their independence in taking a decision which is important for this country. So that whoever loses or wins, knows that I am a party to this particular article. I therefore, request you, Mr. Chairman, in the interest of fairness and in the interest of all concerned parties that we vote secretly so that this issue is completed. I thank you. 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. JEJE ODONGO: A short while ago, we witnessed a circus, a circus in which three or so members were struggling to speak at the same time. Members who purport to support a political faith. All we are saying is that this kind of circus should remain above the ordinary person; do not transcend it. (Applause). I am called Jeje. Those of you who come from Teso will recognise that the name Jeje simply means “the other man above all others” - (Laughter). I am saying, “that man” wants to stand to be seen. He does not want to hide! (Applause). Why do we go to select the best suit from a shop? Why do you want a nice tie? Why do you buy a beautiful dress? Do you want to take it and p ut it in a box? 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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