Cabinet keeps party limits

Dec 19, 2000

THE Cabinet has rejected a proposal to relax restrictions on political party activities, the legal and parliamentary affairs committee was told yesterday.

By Richard Mutumba THE Cabinet has rejected a proposal to relax restrictions on political party activities, the legal and parliamentary affairs committee was told yesterday. The Minister of Justice and Constitutional affairs, Jehoash Mayanja Nkangi, said the cabinet was not ready to allow political parties open offices or branches below the national level or hold public meetings. The provision on restriction of political party activities is contained in the controversial Clause 24 of the Political Organisations Bill. Passing of the Bill has since last week been suspended until Parliament and the cabinet strike a common position on the matter. Nkangi told the House yesterday before meeting with members of the committee that there was no change on the position of the Cabinet on restrictions of party activities. Passing of the Bill had been listed as the first item on the order paper. But when it was mentioned, Nkangi told Parliament that the Cabinet position on the matter had not changed. The minister later appeared before the committee on legal and parliamentary affairs to affirm his position. Clause 24 says that "notwithstanding anything in this Act, during the period when the Movement political system is in force, political activities may continue except that no political party or organisation shall sponsor or offer platform to or in anyway campaign for or against a candidate in any presidential or parliamentary elections or any other organised by the Electoral Commission." It also bars political parties from using symbols, slogans, colour or names identifying any political party or organisation for campaigning for or against any candidate. It also bars the holding of seminars below the district level. Members of the committee chaired by Ben Wacha insisted that if the minister was making a peoples' law, he should convince the Cabinet to relax restrictions on party activities, especially the need to allow them open branches below the national level. They also introduced a new amendment, which says that the restrictions apply to the Movement system when the multiparty political system is in power. Nkangi promised to consult the Cabinet on the objections raised. He also promised to report back to the committee and the MPs today or tomorrow. Ends

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