One of Oko's quotations today - "When leaders to begin to fear people - there is liberty". I believe this is about to come. That Radio Rhino project is sverelly hitting him - he is now chasing his own showdows.
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"You can't separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom."- Malcom X
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----- Original Message -----
From: gook makanga
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2004 10:57 PM
Subject: Museveni fears MPs, misses Ankole shield
Cannibali fears MPs, misses Ankole shield
By Ssemujju Ibrahim Nganda
an 14 - 20, 2004
December saw Ugandans retreating to villages to celebrate Christmas and the beginning of New Year.
President Yoweri Museveni followed suit but his new year activity and information from western Uganda indicate his motive was different: The head of state, as usual, is ahead of his political opponents in soliciting support for his side.
Rwakitura meet
On Jan. 2, the President met with Mbarara district LC-III and sub-county Movement chairpersons.
According to sources, Museveni was in lamenting mood, ruing that the laws passed by Parliament kept him out of the Constituent Assembly (CA).
He mourned that he only listened to proceedings of the CA "through the window" and at times, he would be "pushed away".
That is how provisions that do not favour the presidency were put in the Constitution, he is reported to have said.
He lamented that Parliament can overrule him if there is a disagreement between him and the legislature and that the MPs put in provisions that give them power to increase their salaries.
He said he wants that supremacy to shift from Parliament to the village LCs "even if it means holding a referendum every month".
The president addressed meetings in Mbarara town and Ntungamo on the same issue and poverty eradication.
Why Ankole?
Museveni desires to repeal Article 105(2) that limits any president to two five-year terms.
Western Uganda has been Museveni's stronghold in all the elections and he must be disturbed that western Uganda, and Ankole in particular, is leading in opposing him.
In Mbarara the majority of MPs are not on Museveni side and unlike in the past, they are ready to tell him to his face.
Mbarara has 11 MPs, including the woman MP. Only four support an extension of Museveni's tenure.
Those who have spoken out against a third term in Mbarara are: Ms Miria Matembe (Woman MP Mbarara), Ms Winnie Byanyima (Mbarara Municipality), Mr Johnson Nkuuhe (Isingiro South); Mr Nathan Byanyima (Bukanga), Maj. Bright Rwamirama (Isingiro North), Capt. Guma Gumisiriza (Ibanda North); Maj. John Kazoora (Kashari).
Mbarara MPs believed to back the "life president" project are: Mr John Nasasira (Kazo), Ms Mary Mugyenyi (Nyabushozi), Mr Amon Muzoora (Rwampara), and Mr John Byabagambi (Ibanda South).
Three of the seven MPs opposed are army men, some very senior.
Only Maj. Rwamirama has not become a crusader but he also spoke out during the Parliamentary Advocacy Forum (Pafo) Hotel Africana workshop.
Two of the four MPs believed to support the project in Mbarara are ministers, Mr Nasasira and Ms Mugyenyi. And one of the two ministers is reported to be against it but is bound by collective responsibility.
The remaining two, Muzoora and Byabagambi are new in Parliament and are unknown entities.
MP explains
Mr Nkuuhe told The Monitor in a telephone interview January 10 that the President should know that the people are not foolish and know the motive behind his meetings.
He said that since the Ankole group is opposed to the third term, the President is trying to hit it hard by creating a rift between MPs and their constituents.
"We have no problem against him as a person but we are interested in constitutionalism. The Constitution says two terms and for him he has had even four.
"He is avoiding to meet us on this subject. We would tell him that much as he has done a lot of things for the country, he has run out of ideas and he is interested in self preservation," Nkuuhe said.
Nkuuhe said individuals might be good but lasting institutions are the solution to the problems of the country.
He said that the president is making a mistake by fuelling in-fighting in government and that it would be a dangerous trend to break the network of leaders from local governments, parliament to the executive.
But would the MPs counter Museveni?
"Yes, and we spend more time in the constituencies compared to Museveni who only visits," he said.
"We can explain to the same people over and over."
Bushenyi
Leaders from Mbarara are not the only ones that oppose the third term. Bushenyi has been rewarded with three ministerial posts, but leaders there oppose the "life presidency".
Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu is a renowned opposition Uganda People's Congress (UPC) leader. Bunyaruguru MP Twarabireho Tungwako is a quiet operator and if he opposes the project, it will not be a surprise.
The Woman's seat is vacant but the late Bernadette Bigirwa (woman MP Bushenyi) opposed the "third term".
Significantly, a sizeable group of leaders from each of the traditional Ankole districts oppose the life president project.
Former minister Richard Kaijuka and Secretary general for the East African Community Maj. Amanya Mushega are not with Museveni.
Maj Gen. Mugisha Muntu, who comes from Ntungamo and Mr Eriya Katageya from Mbarara all oppose the project.
Pafo leader, Mr Augustine Ruzindana is from Ntungamo. But the project has supporters.
In Bushenyi, the president will bank on Prof. Tarsis Kabwegyere (minister of Local Government), Mr Richard Nduhura (minister of state for Trade) and in Ntungamo Mr Mwesigwa Rukutana (minister of finance General Duties).
Mbarara was next on Pafo list
Perhaps Museveni cut his New Year holiday because Pafo announced it would begin its New Year anti-life president campaign in Mbarara.
Sources within Pafo say the President panicked and he had to rewrite his schedule.
Pafo spokeswoman, who is also Bugabula South MP, Ms Salaam Musumba said in an interview January 10, that if the president is serious about development, he should have started with Mayuge district in Busoga or Karamoja.
She said Mbarara is "relatively developed".
Musumba said Pafo meetings in Western Uganda would go on as planned. She reasoned that by feeding people on the pre-1986 arguments, Museveni is making Pafo work much easier.
Musumba said that Pafo is aware that a lot of propaganda is going on in the region and there are plans to disrupt their intended peaceful meetings.
"All these happened in the last regimes, but they did not prevent change," she said.
Musumba said that the President's attacks on MPs would fail.
"Blackmailing MPs and the institution of Parliament is a futile attempt. I wish he would use his intellect, which is so big to do better things than insulting Parliament," she said.
No opposition
To show that Ankole and western Uganda is still behind the president, some ministers and MPs launched on January 4, what they called a campaign to repeal Article 105 (2).
The launch took place in Rushenyi, the constituency of Minister of State for Finance (general duties) Mr Mwesigwa Rukutana. The President attended.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ms Hope Mwesigye, a member of the project said in an interview January 11 that people in Ankole and the west are asking the president to stand again.
"We shall continue talking and I am happy the Ssempebwa Commission has recommended for a referendum. Let the people decide so that all of us come out clean," she said.
Why target MPs
"There are areas in the Constitution that demand a referendum but certainly article 105 (2) is not one of them. The president should go slow in wanting to manipulate the population," Rukiga MP Mr Jack Sabiiti said in an interview January 10.
For example before changing a political system there are three options including a referendum.
Amending 105 (2) does not require a referendum. It must be determined by Parliament.
Problem is that a quick count reveals that many MPs would oppose it.
Museveni needs the support of two thirds of Parliament or about 196 MPs to push his project through.
The biggest problem is that voting on the matter is by secret ballot. And the judges (MPs) in this matter are not promising Museveni a fair hearing.
So Museveni prefers the public court that has unlimited jurisdiction in this matter.
Which way Museveni?
During the last presidential elections in 2001, he refused to say he would stand.
Instead he used the Movement National Executive Committee (NEC) to announce his candidature. That was shortly after he had criticised Col. Kizza Besigye for imposing his candidacy on the Movement.
When NEC was summoned at International Conference Centre on November 24, 2003 it came out with the following resolution.
"Bearing in mind his contribution to the building of the Movement and the country, and confident of his potential to make further contribution to the Movement and the country, the chairman of the Movement, H. E Yoweri K. Museveni is urged to contest the forthcoming presidential elections."
It is now up to Museveni.
© 2004 The Monitor Publications
Gook
"You can't separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom."- Malcom X
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