Free Parties At Districts, MPs Insist

The legal and parliamentary affairs committee is maintaining its stand that political parties should operate up to the district level, the chairperson, Wandera Ogalo, said yesterday, report John Odyek and Joyce Namutebi. However, President Yoweri Museveni has maintained that political parties should restrict their activities at the national headquarters. Museveni recently asked Parliament to reconsider the Political Organisations Bill 2001 which was passed over two months ago. He refused to assent to it and sent back to Parliament for reconsideration. The stand by the MPs is likely to lead to a stand-off between the President and Parliament. "The view of the committee is that political organisations can operate at district level," Ogalo told The New Vision. Ben Wacha (Oyam North) said political parties should be allowed to operate up to the district level. "There is no point in restricting political parties any further. It is time we allow them to operate," Wacha said. He said the committee's position reflected the feeling of the population as reflected in the outcome of the referendum last year. In the referendum, people voted for the Movement system of government. He said political party activities at districts would not affect the Movement which enjoys nationwide support exhibited during the referendum. He said if Museveni and the committee maintained their positions, the Constitution provides that if two thirds of the House support the Bill, it becomes law automatically." Museveni has said political organisations should not be allowed to operate at district level and below until enough consensus had been generated on the matter. The Movement parliamentary caucus was yesterday scheduled to meet in Kampala to discuss the Bill. The caucus chairperson, Felix Okot, had said that the Bill was passed by Parliament without thorough scrutiny. He said there was need to re-examine the Bill so that it follows the Constitution. The caucus meeting is expected to galvanise support for the Bill when it comes up for reconsideration in Parliament. Ends