Political inclusiveness is what will sustain Uganda
May 18, 2011
PRESIDENT Museveni is not hiding his glow over having won the elections in all the regions in Uganda. This win may, however, be illusory and it may blind the NRM to the continued discontent within a significant section of the body politic in the country.
By Richard Kiboijana
PRESIDENT Museveni is not hiding his glow over having won the elections in all the regions in Uganda. This win may, however, be illusory and it may blind the NRM to the continued discontent within a significant section of the body politic in the country.
There is need to do some soul-searching at national level to see how best to heal the bitterness that electioneering leaves in the mouths of the vanquished presidential candidates especially those (like of FDC and DP) that command considerable supporters.
In equal measure the present (winner-take-all) system breeds dangerous segmentation and polarity in the nation. Magnanimity and political accommodation to vanquished leaders would engender a sense of belonging (in the affairs of state) to their numerous followers.
The present system that throws all the losing presidential candidates into political limbo needs to be critically re-examined. These losing candidates are in most cases also the leaders of their respective political parties with very many followers.
In developed democracies like the US and UK the political system is designed to make it possible for losers to remain active in matters of governance if they so wish. Senator John McCain is still in the US senate after losing to Barack Obama.
Gordon Brown would still be in the House of Commons in Britain if he had not resigned his parliamentary seat. Nick Clegg whose party came second would have been leader of the opposition if his party had not joined David Cameron in a Coalition Government. Ed Miliband whose Labour Party came 3rd in the UK elections is the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons.
There is need to amend our Constitution to make it possible for the leaders of the first and second biggest opposition parties to automatically become Members of Parliament and to assume the positions of leader of opposition and deputy leader of opposition in Parliament. In our case this would bring Kiiza Besigye and Nobert Mao into Parliament. This would make our parliament more vibrant and it would give these leaders (on behalf of the millions who believe in them) roles in the affairs of the state. Their parties would also be saved the embarrassment of endless jostling to “manufacture†a leader of opposition in parliament. NRM should not have sleepless nights over this as it would still retain a sizeable majority.
Many NRM hardliners will, no doubt, express revulsion to this idea. To many of them NRM is the Alfa and Omega of Uganda. They should, however, realise that inclusiveness and political accommodation is what will sustain this country. There will come a time when NRM will no longer be the dominant actor. One day it will be in the opposition. The leaders of opposition political parties should, therefore, not all the time be cast in limbo or in the periphery. In true democracies the role of the opposition is, inter alia, a government in-waiting.
Our Constitution has already undergone many disgraceful amendments since its promulgation. An amendment to bring into the legislature key political players in the country would be a noble innovation.
In the present Parliament we already have many people who do not represent any constituencies. A case in point is the Prof Apolo Nsibambi who is Prime Minister and leader of Government business. If someone who did not get or even seek any vote in any national election can become a whole leader of Government business, what would be reprehensible with having as leader of the opposition in Parliament a person who is the leader of the biggest opposition party and who got over 2 million votes in a national election.
We need to act now to bring our opposition chiefs (leaders in-waiting) into the mainstream of governance rather than engaging them in endless street battles with the Police.
The writer is an advocate
PRESIDENT Museveni is not hiding his glow over having won the elections in all the regions in Uganda. This win may, however, be illusory and it may blind the NRM to the continued discontent within a significant section of the body politic in the country.
There is need to do some soul-searching at national level to see how best to heal the bitterness that electioneering leaves in the mouths of the vanquished presidential candidates especially those (like of FDC and DP) that command considerable supporters.
In equal measure the present (winner-take-all) system breeds dangerous segmentation and polarity in the nation. Magnanimity and political accommodation to vanquished leaders would engender a sense of belonging (in the affairs of state) to their numerous followers.
The present system that throws all the losing presidential candidates into political limbo needs to be critically re-examined. These losing candidates are in most cases also the leaders of their respective political parties with very many followers.
In developed democracies like the US and UK the political system is designed to make it possible for losers to remain active in matters of governance if they so wish. Senator John McCain is still in the US senate after losing to Barack Obama.
Gordon Brown would still be in the House of Commons in Britain if he had not resigned his parliamentary seat. Nick Clegg whose party came second would have been leader of the opposition if his party had not joined David Cameron in a Coalition Government. Ed Miliband whose Labour Party came 3rd in the UK elections is the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons.
There is need to amend our Constitution to make it possible for the leaders of the first and second biggest opposition parties to automatically become Members of Parliament and to assume the positions of leader of opposition and deputy leader of opposition in Parliament. In our case this would bring Kiiza Besigye and Nobert Mao into Parliament. This would make our parliament more vibrant and it would give these leaders (on behalf of the millions who believe in them) roles in the affairs of the state. Their parties would also be saved the embarrassment of endless jostling to “manufacture†a leader of opposition in parliament. NRM should not have sleepless nights over this as it would still retain a sizeable majority.
Many NRM hardliners will, no doubt, express revulsion to this idea. To many of them NRM is the Alfa and Omega of Uganda. They should, however, realise that inclusiveness and political accommodation is what will sustain this country. There will come a time when NRM will no longer be the dominant actor. One day it will be in the opposition. The leaders of opposition political parties should, therefore, not all the time be cast in limbo or in the periphery. In true democracies the role of the opposition is, inter alia, a government in-waiting.
Our Constitution has already undergone many disgraceful amendments since its promulgation. An amendment to bring into the legislature key political players in the country would be a noble innovation.
In the present Parliament we already have many people who do not represent any constituencies. A case in point is the Prof Apolo Nsibambi who is Prime Minister and leader of Government business. If someone who did not get or even seek any vote in any national election can become a whole leader of Government business, what would be reprehensible with having as leader of the opposition in Parliament a person who is the leader of the biggest opposition party and who got over 2 million votes in a national election.
We need to act now to bring our opposition chiefs (leaders in-waiting) into the mainstream of governance rather than engaging them in endless street battles with the Police.
The writer is an advocate