Archbishop Lwanga calls for peaceful handover of power

Apr 08, 2012

The Archbishop of Kampala, Cyprian Kizito Lwanga has called on the current political leadership to prepare for a peaceful handover of power.

By Pascal Kwesiga and Juliet Lukwago       

With six months remaining before Uganda marks 50 years of independence, the Archbishop of Kampala, Cyprian Kizito Lwanga has called on the current political leadership to prepare for a peaceful handover of power.

Lwanga said the preparations for the smooth transfer of political power should start now as the population prepares to celebrate half a century under self-rule.

He added that the debate to adopt a political system chosen by the people that can promote the peaceful exit of the sitting president should also be started now.

Delivering an Easter message at his residence in Rubaga in Kampala on Saturday, Lwanga recalled that President Yoweri Museveni during his inauguration in 1986 rightly said one of the challenges Africa faces are leaders who overstay in power.

The cleric said Museveni’s observation was captured in the Constitution that was promulgated when he was president in 1995, which provides for a peaceful change of government through free and fair elections.

However the president during an interview with BBC recently explained that when he said one of the challenges Africa faces are leaders who overstay in power, he was referring to those who stay in power when they have not been elected by the people.

On the same programme, Museveni stressed that his stay in the country’s top seat is legitimate.

He explained that his stay has enabled him acquire the necessary experience to run the affairs of the country better.

Lwanga commended Museveni’s administration for the positive contribution it has made such as relative peace ushered in 1986, but insisted that the greatest gift they can give the people of Uganda now is the smooth transfer of power.

Lwanga called for the restoration of the presidential term limits that were lifted from the Constitution in 2005, saying that lack of term limits was far from healthy for the political growth of the East African Community member state.

“They have made their stay limitless. This is not healthy,” he referred to Museveni’s NRM government.

The Archbishop noted that despite the enactment of the Land law to protect people from unlawful eviction, land grabbing from poor people by highly connected people was still rampant.

 He also observed that another issue that should tackled urgently ahead of the October 9 celebrations is the reduction of the amount of money borrowed to reduce burden on the tax payers.

Lwanga suggested putting in place austerity measures to cut public expenditure as a way to reduce government debt situations.

He also called for the release of suspects who have been held in detention centers for long without trial as a sign of promoting peace, reconciliation and justice towards the country’s golden jubilee milestone.

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