Should LCs be left out of party politics?
The subject of opening the political space has stirred up a lot of controversy. Prominent in this is the retention of LCs in a multiparty democracy. <b>Joshua Kato</b> <br>writes.
Cabinet has proposed that local councils (LCs), running from LC 1 to LC 5 should not be subjected to the divisive political party politics, but rather be left under the individual merit system as Uganda opens up.
According to the cabinet proposal, this will leave LCs free from controversial political systems.
LCs evolved out of Resistance Councils (RC). These were set up during the bush days to take charge of areas under the control of the National Resistance Army (NRA).
When the NRA captured power in 1986, the system was expanded from a war mobilisation system to cover the whole country. Since then, LCs have been instrumental in the growth of their areas.
Under decentralisation, LCs are the link between the central government and the people. All groups of the political divide, including those who are opposed to President Museveni, accept that the introduction of LCs was a good idea.
“It is the easiest way for people at the grassroots level to exercise their democratic rights. They have done this very well through election of their village leaders,†says Moses Byaruhanga, Private Political Assistant to the President. To him, this is still a proposal subject to debate.
Ofwono Opondo, director of information at the Movement Secretariat says it is possible to leave LCs out of party politics, since it is happening in other countries though it would not be prudent.
The cabinet are using Ghana as an example. They argue that while Ghana turned to party politics a few years ago, local council administration was not disturbed.
The Ghana Constitution says that a political party shall not endorse, sponsor, offer platform or in any way campaign for or against a candidate seeking election to a district assembly. Ghana and Uganda’s system of governance have got several similarities. Both use the decentralisation system of governance.
“In Ghana, party politics stops at electing the president and MPs. Regional and village leaders are elected by the individual merit system,†he says.
He adds, “If it is really about avoiding conflicts, then it can’t work. Many who would be campaigning for the posts of LCs would have supported candidate A or B of Party C in the earlier presidential and parliamentary elections. This means that their political parties would be known,†he says. And it would be useless to call them non-partisan.
There might be possible conflict if, for example, the chairman is a UPC and most of the councilors are DP and Movement. Since party politics dictates that you strive to take away, the councilors might work to sabotage, rather than develop the area so that they discredit the chairman and take the seat in the next elections. This is one of the reasons why cabinet is choosing to leave LCs out.
But according to Mwanbutsya Ndebesa, a Makerere University history and political scientist, the new level of competition that the introduction of parties at the local levels shall bring will be good for development. “This will mean that each party will put up the best candidates for the seats and the elected will make sure that they perform very well to retain the seats,†he says. He adds that a genuine checks and balance mechanism shall be created at the LC level.
“Under the current system there are no checks and balance, since there is no opposition. If we are to create these checks, then we have to adopt party politics up to the lowest level,†he says.
According to the Local Government Elections Act, an elected chairperson of an area is supposed to elect his executive. This means that if he is a DP supporter, he is likely to pick people from his party. This would leave out other competent people who would have helped develop the area.
But Ofwono argues that since the cabinet is also proposing to have a Movement-only executive at LC level, people who support other parties and live in those villages shall not be comfortable taking their grievances to an only- Movement executive in a country that’s nationally under party rule.
Although the current elections are held under the individual merit system, there are known supporters of parties who are at the helm of running districts. In Kampala, for example, most of the top leadership positions are held by members of DP, including the mayorship.
Indeed, there are relative conflicts, between the top leadership and the Movementists. Councilors who support the Movement are most of the time involved in tag-of-war with those who don’t support the chairmen, most of who come from the opposition. If this kind of hostility is happening now, what will happen if it is under multiparty governance?
Ndebesa a Makerere says it may be possible to leave LCs out of politics, but it is unnecessary. “It is not applicable the way they are putting it. It cannot be a method of building a sustainable democracy,†he says.
Ndebesa explains that in effect, it would mean that the country is run under two different systems, the Movement and political parties.
“Most of the LCs have been recruited into the Movement. It is like cabinet is saying that the country should adopt a law where all LCs are Movementists,†he says.
He scoffs at the idea of avoiding conflicts at village level during election time. “Most of the conflicts in politics are not caused during village elections, but during national elections. I think it is a contradiction for cabinet to say LCs should be left out of party politics, since they are never involved in conflict,†he said.
Ndebesa says relevant laws should be put in place to guard against abuses of the system. “For example, if the current law says that the chairman elects his or her executive, this should be changed so that the executive is elected by the people,†he says.
But Jane Kibuuka, an LC 3 executive in charge of women affairs from Kassangombe in Luweero district is wary of the divisions parties can cause if they are introduced at LC level. “ We hate political parties because of their history. I am worried that such confusion might be detrimental to development,†she says.
However, LC officials need a sense of belonging. “We would like to be recognised as members of our political groups. I think if it is opening up, let us open up completely,†says Edward Ssekandi, a councilor in Wakiso.
Hajji Abdul Nadduli, LC5 chairman Luweero, says that opening up should be universal and not discriminatory as cabinet is proposing. “I think that everything should be opened up. I don’t mind if we have gradual opening up at the lower levels. They can open up to LC5 level, then the next year to lower levels,†he says.
Those opposed to the proposal point out that LCs play a significant role in Uganda’s politics. “Leaving them out of party politics takes away a big chunk of the beef from all parties. There are some small parties, whose only chance of winning any leadership positions is at the LC level,†he says.
Joseph Tumushabe, in charge of agriculture in the Reform Agenda, says that the Movement government does not want to open up completely, which is why they are trying to stick to the lower levels. “As far as the constitution is concerned, when another system is in force, the other is in abeyance. If the country goes multiparty, the Movement government will go into abeyance. No trace of it should be retained,†he says.
The proposal, even if it is passed, is not enforceable. For example, under the Movement system, no political party should campaign or sponsor any candidate seeking any office. However, it is common knowledge that both the Movement and the various political parties sponsor and campaign for their candidates, under the individual merit.
Political analysts are wondering why cabinet chooses to adopt the Ghana system, while there are other regional countries that opened up political space right from the grassroots level.
Such countries include Zambia, Malawi and Kenya.
Ends
According to the cabinet proposal, this will leave LCs free from controversial political systems.
LCs evolved out of Resistance Councils (RC). These were set up during the bush days to take charge of areas under the control of the National Resistance Army (NRA).
When the NRA captured power in 1986, the system was expanded from a war mobilisation system to cover the whole country. Since then, LCs have been instrumental in the growth of their areas.
Under decentralisation, LCs are the link between the central government and the people. All groups of the political divide, including those who are opposed to President Museveni, accept that the introduction of LCs was a good idea.
“It is the easiest way for people at the grassroots level to exercise their democratic rights. They have done this very well through election of their village leaders,†says Moses Byaruhanga, Private Political Assistant to the President. To him, this is still a proposal subject to debate.
Ofwono Opondo, director of information at the Movement Secretariat says it is possible to leave LCs out of party politics, since it is happening in other countries though it would not be prudent.
The cabinet are using Ghana as an example. They argue that while Ghana turned to party politics a few years ago, local council administration was not disturbed.
The Ghana Constitution says that a political party shall not endorse, sponsor, offer platform or in any way campaign for or against a candidate seeking election to a district assembly. Ghana and Uganda’s system of governance have got several similarities. Both use the decentralisation system of governance.
“In Ghana, party politics stops at electing the president and MPs. Regional and village leaders are elected by the individual merit system,†he says.
He adds, “If it is really about avoiding conflicts, then it can’t work. Many who would be campaigning for the posts of LCs would have supported candidate A or B of Party C in the earlier presidential and parliamentary elections. This means that their political parties would be known,†he says. And it would be useless to call them non-partisan.
There might be possible conflict if, for example, the chairman is a UPC and most of the councilors are DP and Movement. Since party politics dictates that you strive to take away, the councilors might work to sabotage, rather than develop the area so that they discredit the chairman and take the seat in the next elections. This is one of the reasons why cabinet is choosing to leave LCs out.
But according to Mwanbutsya Ndebesa, a Makerere University history and political scientist, the new level of competition that the introduction of parties at the local levels shall bring will be good for development. “This will mean that each party will put up the best candidates for the seats and the elected will make sure that they perform very well to retain the seats,†he says. He adds that a genuine checks and balance mechanism shall be created at the LC level.
“Under the current system there are no checks and balance, since there is no opposition. If we are to create these checks, then we have to adopt party politics up to the lowest level,†he says.
According to the Local Government Elections Act, an elected chairperson of an area is supposed to elect his executive. This means that if he is a DP supporter, he is likely to pick people from his party. This would leave out other competent people who would have helped develop the area.
But Ofwono argues that since the cabinet is also proposing to have a Movement-only executive at LC level, people who support other parties and live in those villages shall not be comfortable taking their grievances to an only- Movement executive in a country that’s nationally under party rule.
Although the current elections are held under the individual merit system, there are known supporters of parties who are at the helm of running districts. In Kampala, for example, most of the top leadership positions are held by members of DP, including the mayorship.
Indeed, there are relative conflicts, between the top leadership and the Movementists. Councilors who support the Movement are most of the time involved in tag-of-war with those who don’t support the chairmen, most of who come from the opposition. If this kind of hostility is happening now, what will happen if it is under multiparty governance?
Ndebesa a Makerere says it may be possible to leave LCs out of politics, but it is unnecessary. “It is not applicable the way they are putting it. It cannot be a method of building a sustainable democracy,†he says.
Ndebesa explains that in effect, it would mean that the country is run under two different systems, the Movement and political parties.
“Most of the LCs have been recruited into the Movement. It is like cabinet is saying that the country should adopt a law where all LCs are Movementists,†he says.
He scoffs at the idea of avoiding conflicts at village level during election time. “Most of the conflicts in politics are not caused during village elections, but during national elections. I think it is a contradiction for cabinet to say LCs should be left out of party politics, since they are never involved in conflict,†he said.
Ndebesa says relevant laws should be put in place to guard against abuses of the system. “For example, if the current law says that the chairman elects his or her executive, this should be changed so that the executive is elected by the people,†he says.
But Jane Kibuuka, an LC 3 executive in charge of women affairs from Kassangombe in Luweero district is wary of the divisions parties can cause if they are introduced at LC level. “ We hate political parties because of their history. I am worried that such confusion might be detrimental to development,†she says.
However, LC officials need a sense of belonging. “We would like to be recognised as members of our political groups. I think if it is opening up, let us open up completely,†says Edward Ssekandi, a councilor in Wakiso.
Hajji Abdul Nadduli, LC5 chairman Luweero, says that opening up should be universal and not discriminatory as cabinet is proposing. “I think that everything should be opened up. I don’t mind if we have gradual opening up at the lower levels. They can open up to LC5 level, then the next year to lower levels,†he says.
Those opposed to the proposal point out that LCs play a significant role in Uganda’s politics. “Leaving them out of party politics takes away a big chunk of the beef from all parties. There are some small parties, whose only chance of winning any leadership positions is at the LC level,†he says.
Joseph Tumushabe, in charge of agriculture in the Reform Agenda, says that the Movement government does not want to open up completely, which is why they are trying to stick to the lower levels. “As far as the constitution is concerned, when another system is in force, the other is in abeyance. If the country goes multiparty, the Movement government will go into abeyance. No trace of it should be retained,†he says.
The proposal, even if it is passed, is not enforceable. For example, under the Movement system, no political party should campaign or sponsor any candidate seeking any office. However, it is common knowledge that both the Movement and the various political parties sponsor and campaign for their candidates, under the individual merit.
Political analysts are wondering why cabinet chooses to adopt the Ghana system, while there are other regional countries that opened up political space right from the grassroots level.
Such countries include Zambia, Malawi and Kenya.
Ends