FDC wants a new Constitution

Dec 20, 2017

“The NRM birthed the 1995 Constitution, but it has since violated it.”

POLITICS | AGE LIMIT

The Opposition's Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has called for the formulation of a new Constitution of Uganda, maintaining that the noble value of the 1995 Constitution has been violated due to the irrelevant amendments.

The suggestion by FDC comes at a time when Parliament is debating the age limit Bill that seeks to remove the presidential age limit from the Constitution.

In reference to the Monday events at parliament (age limit debate), the FDC party Eastern region vice-president, Salaamu Musumba, said: "Today, the 18th of December, Uganda is yet to write it in the books of history by raping and defiling the Constitution.

"We all recall our history. The Constitution we have today was made by the dedicated Constituency Assembly. We are witnessing the betrayal of that assembly as the Constitution is gang raped."

Musumba addressed journalists, accompanied by a number of other party officials at a weekly press conference at the party's offices in Najjanankumbi, Kampala on Monday.

The officials included the deputy party secretary general, Harold Kaija; Sarah Eperu, the women league publicist secretary and Dan Muwonge, the party mobiliser (Nakawa division).

"The circumstances being witnessed are similar to those witnessed during the promulgation of the Pigeon Hole Constitution in 1964.

"They are being escorted by terror. Since morning, we have been hearing sirens going round town, warning that it is going to be bloody," she said.

Musumba added: "We used to be told stories that Obote abolished the Lancaster Constitution because he was greedy, Amin dealt a way with constitutionalism because he was A kakwa, and that Tito Okello and Lutwa did not go to school.

But today, we have none other than the one taking us to life presidency and increasing term of office from five to seven years."

The party leadership also asked its members not to take part in Christmas festivities in protest of the ongoing constitutional amendments.

Musumba equated NRM to Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus Christ because of money.

"The NRM birthed the 1995 Constitution, but it has since violated it, brutalising the country using the supreme law," she said.

The FDC demanded that 17 of its supporters arrested over the weekend, including the party chairperson of Wakiso district, Caleb Muwanguzi, be released.

Others are Habib Buwembo, Scovia Arinaitwe, Mega Nasali, Zeedi Maato, Asadu Ssemakula, Awadi Hashim, Isa Bakulugembe, Oliver Obonyo, Ibrahim Sserwanja, William Kakeeto, Benard Natuhwera, Obadia Mugarura, Philp Magambo and Eddie Ssebilanda.

"During Amin's time, we used to hear of torture chambers at Namanve and if our people are at Nalufenya or Nagulu, we demand they be produced in court or released because the mandatory 48 hours have since elapsed," she said.

The Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire, in a telephone interview with the New Vision last evening, confirmed the arrest of 15 FDC party supporters over the weekend contradicting the 17 figure.

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