Bidandi warns NRM
Sep 27, 2005
FORMER local government minister Bidandi Ssali yesterday said intolerance, sycophancy, intrigue and self-interest in the National Resistance Movement (NRM) would destroy the organisation.
By F. Ahimbisibwe
FORMER local government minister Bidandi Ssali yesterday said intolerance, sycophancy, intrigue and self-interest in the National Resistance Movement (NRM) would destroy the organisation.
He said all political parties must insist on internal democracy if the country was to achieve a clear political roadmap ahead of the presidential elections next year.
“Although all political parties have troubles of intrigue, intolerance, self-interest and sycophancy, the Movement will particularly be weakened unless these issues are addressed. Those of us who have raised them have been kicked out by my friend President Yoweri Museveni because he does not tolerate divergent views. A similar problem faces all the other political parties,†Bidandi said.
“These problems have run down other political parties in the past,†he added.
Bidandi was yesterday addressing representatives of eight political organisations at a multi-party mock parliamentary debate at the Africa Leadership Institute (AFLI) at their headquarters in Naguru, Kampala.
Former ESO chief David Pulkol is one of the directors of the Africa Leadership Institute.
Bidandi said one man’s vision was not good for the country and particularly for the NRM. Museveni once said nobody else had a vision for Uganda.
The conference attracted representatives from NRM, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), the Democratic Party (DP) and the Progressive Alliance Party (PAP).
AFLI is a think-tank, which does political research for several countries across the continent.
“We need a collective vision and (must) do away with this business of a one-man vision. The problem in our parties is that people are egoistic. How can one man claim to have a vision for the rest? The problem I had with President Museveni is that at one time, he did not want to hear anything about opening up of political space,†Bidandi said.
Museveni is now the chairman of the NRM party. He said in the US recently that he was subject to the will of his organisation which would decide who stands next year.
Bidandi, who was dropped in a cabinet reshuffle four years ago, for criticising the amendment of the Constitution to remove presidential term limits, said self-interest by leaders was killing the Movement government.
“People have been wondering what will kill the Movement government. I can tell you self-interest among the leaders will bring it down. Self-interest is associated with sycophancy which creates intrigue,†he said.
He added, “People have acquired wealth which they cannot account for. Others are supporting the Movement because they want to be rewarded. That is a big problem for the Movement because a party thrives on members, not supporters.â€
Bidandi was discussing a paper presented by former Nyabushozi MP Elly Karuhanga titled, ‘Multi-party Parliament: A trans-generational dialogue and experience sharing.’
Karuhanga said for multi-party politics to work out, all the political parties must ensure that they do not rig primaries.
“Democracy must start from the internal democracy of the political parties because if they rig their own lections, they will also rig the national elections and cause chaos in the country,†he said.
FORMER local government minister Bidandi Ssali yesterday said intolerance, sycophancy, intrigue and self-interest in the National Resistance Movement (NRM) would destroy the organisation.
He said all political parties must insist on internal democracy if the country was to achieve a clear political roadmap ahead of the presidential elections next year.
“Although all political parties have troubles of intrigue, intolerance, self-interest and sycophancy, the Movement will particularly be weakened unless these issues are addressed. Those of us who have raised them have been kicked out by my friend President Yoweri Museveni because he does not tolerate divergent views. A similar problem faces all the other political parties,†Bidandi said.
“These problems have run down other political parties in the past,†he added.
Bidandi was yesterday addressing representatives of eight political organisations at a multi-party mock parliamentary debate at the Africa Leadership Institute (AFLI) at their headquarters in Naguru, Kampala.
Former ESO chief David Pulkol is one of the directors of the Africa Leadership Institute.
Bidandi said one man’s vision was not good for the country and particularly for the NRM. Museveni once said nobody else had a vision for Uganda.
The conference attracted representatives from NRM, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), the Democratic Party (DP) and the Progressive Alliance Party (PAP).
AFLI is a think-tank, which does political research for several countries across the continent.
“We need a collective vision and (must) do away with this business of a one-man vision. The problem in our parties is that people are egoistic. How can one man claim to have a vision for the rest? The problem I had with President Museveni is that at one time, he did not want to hear anything about opening up of political space,†Bidandi said.
Museveni is now the chairman of the NRM party. He said in the US recently that he was subject to the will of his organisation which would decide who stands next year.
Bidandi, who was dropped in a cabinet reshuffle four years ago, for criticising the amendment of the Constitution to remove presidential term limits, said self-interest by leaders was killing the Movement government.
“People have been wondering what will kill the Movement government. I can tell you self-interest among the leaders will bring it down. Self-interest is associated with sycophancy which creates intrigue,†he said.
He added, “People have acquired wealth which they cannot account for. Others are supporting the Movement because they want to be rewarded. That is a big problem for the Movement because a party thrives on members, not supporters.â€
Bidandi was discussing a paper presented by former Nyabushozi MP Elly Karuhanga titled, ‘Multi-party Parliament: A trans-generational dialogue and experience sharing.’
Karuhanga said for multi-party politics to work out, all the political parties must ensure that they do not rig primaries.
“Democracy must start from the internal democracy of the political parties because if they rig their own lections, they will also rig the national elections and cause chaos in the country,†he said.