Kategaya explains position on army role
Oct 18, 2004
FORMER Deputy Premier Eriya Kategaya yesterday invited the <i>New Vision</i> to clarify on his presentation at a debate organised by the Uganda Christian University Students’ Guild in Mukono on Saturday
By Hamis Kaheru
FORMER Deputy Premier Eriya Kategaya yesterday invited the New Vision to clarify on his presentation at a debate organised by the Uganda Christian University Students’ Guild in Mukono on Saturday.
He said he opposed the proposal in the White Paper to maintain army representatives in Parliament.
“I said if we are under multipartyism, how would army MPs behave or vote in Parliament? Would they vote UPC, DP or keep quiet?†Kategaya said.
He denied saying the army should not be involved in elections.
Kategaya (right) also said the proposal that Parliament or court should depose traditional leaders who violate the Constitution was not necessary because Article 2 (1) says the Constitution has abiding force on all persons.
He said it was wrong to say that kings were above the law and, therefore, needed a special provision.
Kategaya said Article 246 (3) prohibited traditional leaders from participating in partisan politics, while 137(3) allowed anybody to petition court if they felt the Constitution had been violated.
He also quoted President Yoweri Museveni as saying in his 2001 election manifesto that he would leave power in 2006.
He said the New Vision did not reproduce the quote correctly in yesterday’s edition.
Kategaya said he met Lt. Gen. Salim Saleh and told him that he would not rejoin the Government.
“When I met Saleh, he said, ‘Would you consider coming back to the Government?’ I said, ‘No, I don’t want to come back’,†Kategaya said.
He said Saleh’s proposal did not mean that he was offered a Government job and he turned it down as earlier reported.
FORMER Deputy Premier Eriya Kategaya yesterday invited the New Vision to clarify on his presentation at a debate organised by the Uganda Christian University Students’ Guild in Mukono on Saturday.
He said he opposed the proposal in the White Paper to maintain army representatives in Parliament.
“I said if we are under multipartyism, how would army MPs behave or vote in Parliament? Would they vote UPC, DP or keep quiet?†Kategaya said.
He denied saying the army should not be involved in elections.
Kategaya (right) also said the proposal that Parliament or court should depose traditional leaders who violate the Constitution was not necessary because Article 2 (1) says the Constitution has abiding force on all persons.
He said it was wrong to say that kings were above the law and, therefore, needed a special provision.
Kategaya said Article 246 (3) prohibited traditional leaders from participating in partisan politics, while 137(3) allowed anybody to petition court if they felt the Constitution had been violated.
He also quoted President Yoweri Museveni as saying in his 2001 election manifesto that he would leave power in 2006.
He said the New Vision did not reproduce the quote correctly in yesterday’s edition.
Kategaya said he met Lt. Gen. Salim Saleh and told him that he would not rejoin the Government.
“When I met Saleh, he said, ‘Would you consider coming back to the Government?’ I said, ‘No, I don’t want to come back’,†Kategaya said.
He said Saleh’s proposal did not mean that he was offered a Government job and he turned it down as earlier reported.