Nurture political tolerance

Jun 15, 2004

During his speech at the celebrations to mark the Heroes’ Day in Luweero, President Museveni appealed to leaders “not to mislead our people into bad political habits” as the country moves from a Movement to multiparty system.

During his speech at the celebrations to mark the Heroes’ Day in Luweero, President Museveni appealed to leaders “not to mislead our people into bad political habits” as the country moves from a Movement to multiparty system.

President Museveni’s appeal is very pertinent in view of the unfolding situation in our politics.

The President and government should act to avert build up of political tension and conflicts. It is clearly “a bad political habit” for leaders to instigate violence against political opponents or people who hold divergent political views. It is even more intriguing when inflammatory statements are made at public rallies and in presence of senior government officials.

For instance, the Masaka district council vice-chairperson, Jamil Miwanda, was last week quoted as saying that he was happy when anti-third term agitators were beaten in Masaka.

This was at a meeting attended by local government leaders from Buganda held in Mityana.

Days later, the Rakai LCV Chairperson Vincent Ssemakula, was quoted as warning anti-third term agitators not to risk going to the district or else they would be beaten up. He was addressing a gathering in Kyotera town during Heroes’ Day celebrations.

“What you experienced last Saturday was just a warm-up. We shall tell security personnel to beat you up thoroughly, if you dare come back,” Ssemakula reportedly stated, adding that members of the Popular Resistance Against Life Presidency (PRALP) deserved beating ostensibly because they were destabilising peace in the district. Allen Kemerwa, the resident district commissioner was also at the meeting.

This is precisely what the previous UPC regime was notorious for.

Opponents of the UPC government lived in fear. In fact many people were driven to join the guerrilla groups by the harassment and repression perpetrated by the UPC functionaries whose word was law. Then president Obote as well as his vice Paul Muwanga condoned these illegal activities.

Pronouncements by some local government leaders and resident district commissioners are taking the country back to the UPC days. The government is proposing to hold referenda on lifting the presidential two-term limit and changing from Movement to Multiparty system.

If the people do not listen to all the political views and arguments, how will they take rational decisions? It is not secret that the proponents of the third term are already on the campaign trail.

Why should those with contrary views be prevented from addressing public rallies and meetings?

The best way to guarantee peace and stability is to nurture a free society where citizens are guaranteed the freedoms of speech, assembly and association.

Right now government should be carrying out a political campaign to nurture a culture of political tolerance. But it is shocking to see that people with authority are threatening to unleash terror against those who happen to hold contrary views on certain political issues.

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