‘Govt Should Map Out Road To Transition

Mar 16, 2004

SHORTLY after the June 2,000 referendum, cabinet met to discuss the then Political Parties and Organisations Bill, that sought to govern the operations of the political parties.

SHORTLY after the June 2,000 referendum, cabinet met to discuss the then Political Parties and Organisations Bill, that sought to govern the operations of the political parties. In that meeting, Cabinet noted that ‘the transition from the Movement to the multi-party system was an intricate process which would require careful preparation and that preferably, political parties should be freed now and that the transition process be managed by His Excellency the President before the expiry of his second term.’
I have brought up this to highlight the need for the Government to announce the political transition roadmap. Government’s failure to announce the transition roadmap is creating a state of uncertainty. The national debate seems to be focused on only one issue - ‘third term,’ yet there are other weighty issues that would greatly impact on the transition. As far back as 2000, Cabinet had recognised the fact that the transition ‘was an intricate process’ that would require ‘careful preparations’. Unfortunately, there appears to be no preparations at all for the intricate process of the transition.
Changing the political system must be carried out only in the 4th year of Parliament, according to article 74 (3) of the Constitution. The current Parliament’s 4th year starts in July this year and elapses July 2005. But Ugandans are yet to be told whether the political system would be changed through a referendum or by Parliament and district councils. The Referendum Bill is also still pending. Thus the Electoral Commission cannot start making any preparations because government has not announced its political programme.
The current local government’s term of office expires early next year. If a referendum is to be held, to change the political system, it would mean the referendum and the local government elections would coincide. This would not only complicate work for the Electoral Commission, but also cause confusion. If the local governments’ term expire and new councils are not elected immediately, it would not be possible to change thepolitical system using Parliament and district councils, which is the cheaper option that has been recommended by the Constitutional Review Commission.
The time for a smooth transition is running out. There is a feeling that delay to announce a roadmap is a deliberate political calculation to strengthen the case for the pro-third term agitators that President Museveni needs to stay beyond 2006 to manage the transition.
If the country reverts to multiparty politics, a number of laws would have to be changed.
The country has a deadline to hold next presidential and parliamentary elections in 2006. It is not prudent to handle delicate and contentious matters hurriedly.
Ends

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