US Democrats were manipulators
Jul 05, 2005
Letter of the day<br><br>SIR — I wish to comment on Mr. Swaibu Kaggwa’s letter “Roosevelt, Museveni good examples†published on June 27.
Letter of the day
SIR — I wish to comment on Mr. Swaibu Kaggwa’s letter “Roosevelt, Museveni good examples†published on June 27.
Kaggwa implies that as President Franklin Roosevelt’s stay in office was not curtailed by term limits and that he did not become a dictator in spite of his prolonged tenure in office, Ugandans too should not be concerned over amending our constitution in favour of lifting presidential term limits.
Kaggwa should not forget the fact that the US Democrats of the time were merely manipulating the electoral process there and that is why when the Americans realised that they had compromised the belief in equal opportunities for all citizens at the US presidency, they wholeheartedly backed Congress to instill a provision in the constitution limiting future White House occupants to two consecutive terms regardless of one’s popularity.
Kaggwa and his ilk lought to agree with me that the power of incumbency is so great that it would be unfair to let one man monopolise the highest office in the land as long as he wishes.
Considering the resources at his disposal, what would stop him practising politics of patronage which breeds misuse of office, sycophancy and other attendant evils?
Just as in the US where the term limits were enshrined in the constitution and even observed by all, we in Uganda do not need to amend our laboriously made supreme law of the land to accommodate individuals’ ambitions.
In any case, it is mostly government functionaries who are fanning the campaign to lift term limits because they would stand to lose their juicy jobs when the appointing authority leaves office.
Mind you, these selfish NRM functionaries had long plotted to have President Museveni stand for a third term even before he had fulfiled his 2001 re-election campaign promises. Doesn’t this indicate hunger for power?
And does it augur well for our instability-prone country? Why is it after 10 years since the promulgation of the constitution that they are realising term limits must go? Why are they pegging it to Museveni’s third term candidacy.
Lifting term limits is not a pressing need for peasants.
Let the pro-third term activists focus on more serious issues to tackle like Kony, poverty, illiteracy, AIDS, human rights violation and the Domestic Relations Bill.
As J. G. Holland emphasised, we need men whom the lust of office does not kill, men whom the love of office cannot buy.
Though President Museveni has been an exceptional leader, there are so many yet to come.
Paul Arthur Kamwanga
Mengo
This letter, the Editor feels, demands special attention
SIR — I wish to comment on Mr. Swaibu Kaggwa’s letter “Roosevelt, Museveni good examples†published on June 27.
Kaggwa implies that as President Franklin Roosevelt’s stay in office was not curtailed by term limits and that he did not become a dictator in spite of his prolonged tenure in office, Ugandans too should not be concerned over amending our constitution in favour of lifting presidential term limits.
Kaggwa should not forget the fact that the US Democrats of the time were merely manipulating the electoral process there and that is why when the Americans realised that they had compromised the belief in equal opportunities for all citizens at the US presidency, they wholeheartedly backed Congress to instill a provision in the constitution limiting future White House occupants to two consecutive terms regardless of one’s popularity.
Kaggwa and his ilk lought to agree with me that the power of incumbency is so great that it would be unfair to let one man monopolise the highest office in the land as long as he wishes.
Considering the resources at his disposal, what would stop him practising politics of patronage which breeds misuse of office, sycophancy and other attendant evils?
Just as in the US where the term limits were enshrined in the constitution and even observed by all, we in Uganda do not need to amend our laboriously made supreme law of the land to accommodate individuals’ ambitions.
In any case, it is mostly government functionaries who are fanning the campaign to lift term limits because they would stand to lose their juicy jobs when the appointing authority leaves office.
Mind you, these selfish NRM functionaries had long plotted to have President Museveni stand for a third term even before he had fulfiled his 2001 re-election campaign promises. Doesn’t this indicate hunger for power?
And does it augur well for our instability-prone country? Why is it after 10 years since the promulgation of the constitution that they are realising term limits must go? Why are they pegging it to Museveni’s third term candidacy.
Lifting term limits is not a pressing need for peasants.
Let the pro-third term activists focus on more serious issues to tackle like Kony, poverty, illiteracy, AIDS, human rights violation and the Domestic Relations Bill.
As J. G. Holland emphasised, we need men whom the lust of office does not kill, men whom the love of office cannot buy.
Though President Museveni has been an exceptional leader, there are so many yet to come.
Paul Arthur Kamwanga
Mengo
This letter, the Editor feels, demands special attention