[Ugnet] EU demands faster passage of party laws

[Matek Opoko]

EU demands faster passage of party laws

HUSSEIN BOGERE

KAMPALA The European Union has given Uganda up to September for it to have enacted the necessary laws for multi-party politics. "It is important that the 2006 elections are seen by all parties to be free and fair," says an August 5 press release from the Council of the European Union headquarters in Brussels. "The European Union accordingly looks forward to the government standing by its commitment to separate the Movement from the State, and to Parliament adopting the necessary legislation for a multi-party system by the end of September 2005." But the government spokesman, Dr James Nsaba Buturo, was dismissive, saying that the government has its own timetable and therefore no one should dictate the transition pace. "As far as we are concerned, we are on course," he said on Saturday. "The Constitution amendment intends to achieve that goal. By the end of October, the necessary changes would have been made." He gave the example of the Political Parties and Organisations Act, which he said is to be amended to remove the requirement of political parties seeking police permission to hold rallies. The G6 group of key opposition parties welcomed the EU statement because it is in line with its own demands. In an August 1 petition to the government, the G6 wants the government to: "Separate the NRM/Movement structures from the State structures and stop funding of NRM/Movement organs by Government, amend and repeal of laws that infringe on the rights of association and _expression_; including the Political Parties and Organisations Act, Movement Act, Local Government Act, Police Act, Penal Code Act, Media Act, Anti-Terrorism Act, Presidential & Parliamentary electoral laws." The G6 parties say that they will not be bound by results from elections held under the current circumstances. Buturo, also the Information minister, said the government is slowly disengaging the Movement Secretariat from its plans. "It still has a role to play. Its life is to expire at the end of the next financial year." The EU also welcomed the decision of the Ugandan people in their referendum of July 28 to endorse the re-introduction of a multi-party political system. "The European Union considers this a significant step forward for democratic accountability in Uganda." The referendum was won by the Yes side amid claims from international observers that the turn out was below average and that many of the voters didn't understand what they were voting for. It is not clear what action the EU will take if Uganda does not sort out the transition laws by the end of next month. In March, Britain cancelled Shs616.5 billion in aid money because the government here had failed to meet some of the agreed milestones in the transition process. Norway followed by cutting 30 percent (Shs7 billion) of budgetary support money citing problems with the political transition, human rights and corruption, while Ireland announced it would reduce its support as well by Shs6.5b. Buturo, however, said that the donors should not dictate to Uganda. "We still stand by that [position]," he said.

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