----- Original Message ----- 
From: George Okurapa 
To: [log in to unmask] 
Sent: Monday, February 09, 2004 3:59 PM
Subject: Museveni meets LC5 to discuss third Term


From THE MONITOR February 09, 2004

Museveni, LC-V chiefs to discuss term limits 
By Emma Mutaizibwa 
Feb 9, 2004

      KAMPALA - President Museveni will today meet all LC-V chairpersons at the International Conference Centre to discuss the proposal to end presidential term limits.

      The proposal, fronted by Cabinet and the various Movement organs, is seen as a ploy to clear the way for Mr Museveni to seek yet another term in office, the "third term".

      The meeting, called by the President, will also involve resident district commissioners and chief administrative officers.

      Museveni has been non-committal on the controversial proposal to amend Article 105 (2) of the Constitution to remove the two five-year presidential term limits. 

      His critics have often said that Museveni is the mastermind of the removal of the term limits, which would make him eligible to rule for life. Museveni second and last constitutional term ends in 2006.

      The president of the Uganda Local Authorities Association, Mr John Otekat, told The Monitor yesterday that the district leaders would present their position on the so-called "third term project" to Museveni.

      "We have some issues about the political future we want to present to the President. We agreed [LC-V chairpersons] last week that we would support the third term," Otekat said.

      Local Council Five chairpersons are the elected political heads of the districts. Otekat also is the LC-V chairman of Soroti district. 

      During a meeting of LC-V chairpersons at Tal Cottages in Rubaga, Kampala, last Wednesday, some of the chairpersons opposed granting Museveni another term.

      The LC-V chairman for Adjumani, Mr Nixon Owole, was among those opposed to the lifting of the presidential term limits.

      He argued that lifting the term limits would be fatal to democracy in the country.

      "The Constitution is one of the main instruments of democracy. It is not supposed to be amended so often," Owole said.

      Otekat told The Monitor yesterday that today's meeting will also discuss the transition to multiparty politics.

      "Both government and the opposition should work out a smooth transition to a multiparty system without running the country into chaos," he said.

      "We are in support of the government talks with the opposition. They should be geared towards national interests," he added.

      Otekat said they would discuss the strategy to resolve the long-running northern insurgency.

      "Security in the country is paramount. Government and the opposition should work out a formula on resolving the war," he said.

      He said that they would also iron out the disparity in the salaries of district chairpersons.

      "The district chairperson of Kalangala earns Shs 96,000 a month and that of Kampala earns Shs 5 million a month. We need to standardise the salaries," Otekat said. 
     


© 2004 The Monitor Publications



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