Folks,
Here's an article I found at <<www.africanews.org>> that really hits home.
It is good to know that fellow Africans are stepping up to make their
leaders accountable for their deeds. It is about time the common people
realize the powers vested in them by their various constitutions and how
they can engage those powers to improve responsibility in the leadership.
Enjoy.
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Africa's leaders cheat public - citizens meet
The Monitor (Kampala)
July 19, 2000
By Charlotte Kawesa In Arusha
Kampala - Constitutional ammendments in Africa have largely sought to
increase state power at the expense of public interest, a regional
conference on Citizens, Communities and Constitutionalism in Arusha,
Tanzania, has heard.
Sharing their regions' experiences, delegates from western, southern,
northern and eastern Africa yesterday decried the way African leaders have,
over the years, ammended constitutions to render the judiciary and
legislature useless.
The conference, taking place at Arusha International Conference Centre, is
organised by Kituo Cha Katiba (Kampala) in conjuction with the East African
Community (EAC) and sponsored by the Ford Foundation.
Dr. Nyangabyaki Bazara, executive director of the Centre for Basic Research
in Kampala, who narated the East African experience, cited, anong others,
structural adjustment programmes, dependence on foreign loans and grants,
and globalisation, as factors blocking the realisation of constitutionalism
in East Africa, as they push governments to pursue non-priority interests.
Bazara also said activities of civil society in Uganda cannot have
meaningful democratic opening because they are not linked to emancipatory
politics in the form of political parties.
Outspoken multipartyist and Gulu municipality MP, Nobert Mao, while
contributing to the debate, criticised the Movement government in Uganda for
stiffling political parties, while it operates as a party itself.
Chituo Cha Katiba chairperson, Lady Justice Solomy Bbosa, said Monday that
controvercial and archaic constitutional and legal provisions have hampered
constitutional development in East Africa.
"The politicians have shamelessly exploited these provisions to restrict and
in some cases bar their opponents from effectively participating in the
governance of their countries, including the right to mobilize citizens and
communities for competing political views," Bbosa said.
As a result, she added, intimidations, arrests, detention and death occur in
all East African countries. Bbosa said parliament has been used to pass
controversial laws without serious attempts to debate them or their
repercussions on the population.
EAC secretary general, Ambassador Francis Muthaura, while opened the
conference, Monday. Renowned political scientist and professor at Columbia
University, Mahmood Mamdani, traced Africa's dilemma to the political
isntituions of colonial rule. He said remains of the colonial state in
Africa that are collapsing.
The three-day conference, which ends today (Wednesday), is aimed at
developing the capacity of stakeholders to influence the active
participation of citizens in democratic and good governance. It is also
aimed at empowering citizens to hold governments accountable and responsive
to their needs and the protection of their rights.
Over 100 delegates from grassroots communities, activists, academia,
parliaments, NGOs, the judiciary and human rights commissions are attending
the conference. Kituo Cha Katiba is an independent pan-regional political
organisation with a mission of promoting multi-inter disciplinaty
communication, dialogue and action on constitutional making and democratic
governance in the East African region, with headquarters in Kampala.
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Abdoulie A. Jallow
Toll-free number: 1-888-392-4832(Excite2)
Personal extension for v/mail/fax: 291-368-1519
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