Movt Plots Way Forward

THE Movement task force has been meeting in Kampala to deliberate on various issues including the opening up of the political space, sources said yesterday, reports Felix Osike.The closed-door meeting at Heritage House on Sixth Street, Industrial Area, Kampala, has been on for a week and is expected to last another two weeks before the members come up with a position on the way forward for the Movement system.“We are working on the assignment we were given by NEC (National Executive Committee) and our deliberations are still going on,” said a source who declined to be named.The 22-member task force was appointed by the 6th meeting of the NEC, a policy organ of the Movement, which sat at the National Leadership Institute Kyankwanzi in December last year.The team is expected to say whether there are grounds for the Movement to revisit the issue of political systems. The team is also reviewing Movement politics and considering calls for the opening up to political party pluralism while taking into account the existing constitutional provisions.The committee is also looking into ways of strengthening the Movement system under which Uganda has been ruled for the last 17 years.The National Political Commissar, Dr. Crispus Kiyonga, chairs the task force, which is expected to report to the chairman of the Movement, President Museveni by March.Other members are Attorney General Francis Ayume, first deputy premier Eriya Kategaya and local government minister Bidandi Ssali.Both Bidandi and Kategaya have been calling for open debate on the political future of the country.But they have been heavily criticised by Museveni and other leaders. Discussion on the re-introduction of multiparty political system by Movement leaders in open fora was suspended in December to give people a chance to submit views to the Constitutional Review Commission. Special Presidential Adviser on political affairs Maj. Kakooza Mutale, who was very critical of Bidandi and Kategaya’s statements, is attending the meeting. Ministers Felix Okot Ogong, Baguma Isoke, Betty Akech, Christine Aporu Akol, Kisamba Mugerwa, Omwony Ojwok, MPs Jessica Eriyo, Lt. James Kinobe, Dan Kidega, Tarsis Kabwegyere, Mwesigye Ruhindi are also attending the meeting.Others are former Kamuli LC5 chairman Kawoya Mugaino, Canon John Bitunguramye, Ezra Kikuri, Laban Kirya, Fr. John Mary Waligo and Capt. Getrude Njuba.In the Kyakwanzi meeting, NEC upheld the decision of the National Conference, the apex organ of the Movement, to restrict the operations of political parties to headquarters only. NEC also advised Parliament not to allow the opening up of political parties below the headquarters level.The Political Parties and Organisations Bill, which seeks to regulate parties, is before Parliament. The President refused to assent to an earlier Bill because it allowed parties to operate at district level.If Parliament passes the Bill this time and Museveni returns it, Parliament will pass it for the third time with support of at least two-thirds of all the MPs, and the Bill will automatically become law.Ends