Binaisa denies Obote claims that he advised him to suspend constitution in 1966
Aug 06, 2010
In an interview with Andrew Mwenda, a year before his death, former president Milton Obote said it was Godfrey Binaisa, Uganda’s Attorney General then, who advised him to suspend the constitution and the Kabaka of Buganda, who was president.
In an interview with Andrew Mwenda, a year before his death, former president Milton Obote said it was Godfrey Binaisa, Uganda’s Attorney General then, who advised him to suspend the constitution and the Kabaka of Buganda, who was president.
Obote said when Muteesa called the British High Commissioner and asked for massive military assistance on February 9th, he confronted the kabaka on why he was doing it.
Unsatisfied with Muteesa’s answer, Obote consulted Binaisa on the way forward.
“He told me that given what Muteesa had done, I had to suspend him from being president of Uganda, and that the only way I could do this was to suspend the constitution itself,†Obote said.
Obote claimed he was reluctant to ‘kill’ the constitution which he said he participated in making, but Binaisa said it was okay.
Obote quoted Binaisa as saying: “It is already dead, as dead as a door nail, killed by Muteesa when he asked for arms from the British government unconstitutionally. All you have to do right now is to bury your dead child as decently as possible.â€
On February 24, 1966, Obote abrogated the constitution and wrote another one in 1966.
Fifty-five MPs voted for it and only four voted against.
But Binaisa denied the accusation. During Obote’s burial, he told mourners that he never advised him to abrogate the 1962 Constitution.
Binaisa said, “Let me clear some misunderstandings… I did not force the Parliament to change the Constitution. I did not have the powers, nor did Obote.â€
He said Parliament had the power to change anything except turning a man into a woman.
“You must understand that I didn’t hate anybody but had to fulfill my work,†Binaisa said.
“I had to work. It was the duty contracted to me by Milton.
“I did not intend to harm anyone, not even Baganda. I was born in Buganda,†Binaisa said, “The thing I want to stress is that we should go forward.â€
Obote said when Muteesa called the British High Commissioner and asked for massive military assistance on February 9th, he confronted the kabaka on why he was doing it.
Unsatisfied with Muteesa’s answer, Obote consulted Binaisa on the way forward.
“He told me that given what Muteesa had done, I had to suspend him from being president of Uganda, and that the only way I could do this was to suspend the constitution itself,†Obote said.
Obote claimed he was reluctant to ‘kill’ the constitution which he said he participated in making, but Binaisa said it was okay.
Obote quoted Binaisa as saying: “It is already dead, as dead as a door nail, killed by Muteesa when he asked for arms from the British government unconstitutionally. All you have to do right now is to bury your dead child as decently as possible.â€
On February 24, 1966, Obote abrogated the constitution and wrote another one in 1966.
Fifty-five MPs voted for it and only four voted against.
But Binaisa denied the accusation. During Obote’s burial, he told mourners that he never advised him to abrogate the 1962 Constitution.
Binaisa said, “Let me clear some misunderstandings… I did not force the Parliament to change the Constitution. I did not have the powers, nor did Obote.â€
He said Parliament had the power to change anything except turning a man into a woman.
“You must understand that I didn’t hate anybody but had to fulfill my work,†Binaisa said.
“I had to work. It was the duty contracted to me by Milton.
“I did not intend to harm anyone, not even Baganda. I was born in Buganda,†Binaisa said, “The thing I want to stress is that we should go forward.â€