Monitor, July 28, 2005
'NO' side pulls out of poll
HUSSEIN BOGERE & KABONA ESIARA
KAMPALA
A SPLINTER faction of the NO side has pulled out of today's referendum
accusing the Electoral Commission of failing to bankroll them.
But EC chairman Dr Badru Kiggundu told Daily Monitor yesterday that he
Was not aware of the pull-out. "We cannot act on rumours," Kiggundu said at his office.
The NO side, in a statement yesterday, said their balance was taken
presumably to the YES side.
"Mr Wilson Kyambadde and Mr Mohammed Nsereko, both of the coalition against the return of multiparty politics, who worked as vice chairman and general secretary, respectively incapacitated us by withdrawing all the money which had remained on our bank account and we suspect that they transferred it to the YES side whose activities are being spearheaded by His Excellency the President," the statement to the EC chairman reads.
The NO side comprises the Popular People's Democracy, National Campaign Team for Movement System, Mayfair, Uganda Movement Supporters' Alliance, National Citizens Concerned and the Coalition Against Return to Multiparty groups.
President Yoweri Museveni has been campaigning for the YES side. The
side headed by Mr Webster Lukwiya argues that after the formation of the
committee, the EC advanced them Shs396 million for its activities as
stipulated by the Referendum Act, 2005.
Expenditure
They say that in one of their executive meetings they worked out an
expenditure based on guidelines from the signatories and EC but
contrary to this, the latter went ahead and advanced Shs10 million to each of the eight groups which make up the NO Side Referendum committee for campaigns and another Shs35 million for the general welfare of each of the 22 members at Shs1.6 million each. (general welfare sounds like a bribe to me)
"What is surprising therefore Mr Chairman is that the government,
through his Excellency the President, worked towards failing the activities of the NO Side Referendum committee we suspect State House did not want the NO Side" Mr Jackson Mulumba said.
Little funding
They said because of little funding they were not able to traverse the
whole country canvassing for votes for their side.
"We have not been able to hire and recruit polling agents for our side.
Why participate in this referendum where the result seems to be already
determined?" Mulumba said.
The group said it would not be fair for the EC to appoint for them
agents. They also accuse Ms Mondo Mugisha and Kyambadde's group of taking the balance of Shs79 million.
Kyambadde is the husband of Ms Amelia (Museveni's Principal Private
Secretary), Ms Mondo Mugisha is Health Minister Mike Mukula's political
assistant.
"Under the circumstances, since we cannot carry out the duties expected
of us under the Referendum Law, we have no option other than to pull out
of the entire Referendum process, the statement read further.
They say it's also clear that the President is only interested in
having his side (YES side) campaigning for the return of multi-party politics.
Caution
"Secondly we request your commission to caution His Excellency the
President his ministers and other Movement big guns who include Resident District Commisioners, security operatives and NRMO chairpersons from intimidating our supporters countrywide."
The chairman of the NO side Mr Bernard Mfite-Mukiza said the pull-out
is illogical and doesn't help. "We have already created networks across the country. I cannot associate myself with such people. How can you say you're pulling out when the campaigns have already closed?" he wondered.
ps: does the EC's mandate include providing for anyone's "general welfare"?
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Amin never gave bribes for support
President Yoweri Museveni seems to be worse than the late Idi Amin since he is using public funds to bribe members of parliament to make him a life president.
Although the late Amin was a dictator, he never bothered to waste tax payers money to bribe politicians around him to make him life president.
Instead he woke up one day and declared himself president for life.
Museveni, being a dictator like Amin, should have done the same way in order to save taxpayers money, and the great embarrassment the country is going through in the name of democratisation.
Francis Oweka
Kampala
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