53 Parties Want Talks With Govt
Jan 22, 2004
FIFTY- three new un-registered political parties and organisations have formed a coalition protesting their exclusion from the on-going talks between the Movement and multi-partists.
By Joyce Namutebi
FIFTY- three new un-registered political parties and organisations have formed a coalition protesting their exclusion from the on-going talks between the Movement and multi-partists.
Leaders of the New Parties Forum (NPF) yesterday referred to the current talks to which they were not invited, as a fraudulent dialogue and a waste of taxpayers’ money.
They said they would seek legal redress in the courts of law if the matter is not addressed.
They raised their concerns at a press conference held at the National Theatre Gardens in Kampala.
“We strongly object to the arrangement and criteria used in selecting the seven parties coalition on behalf of the opposition for talks with Government,†said a statement read by NPF co-ordinator, Webster Lukwiya.
Lukwiya is the chairman of the People Initiative for Total Unification of Africa (Uganda Chapter).
Amos Kisambira, lawyer of NPF, said the Forum, which consists of independent parties, was formed three weeks ago. He said the parties had fulfilled their requirements according to the law and were awaiting their certificates of registration.
Others present yesterday were NPF Vice Coordinator, Sadam Bisase, who is chairman Congress Service Volunteers (COSEVO), Secretary General, Fred Sematimba, who is president Uganda People’s Forum and Alhaji Sulaiman Masaba, chairman, Uganda People’s Party.
They said, “For Government to assume that only a few individuals from the groups it has selected and its team alone can effectively thrash out the daunting problems of Uganda, is to say the least, preposterous, absurd and ridiculous,†they said.
“What guarantee is there that whatever they will agree upon with these groups will accord with our position?†they asked. They said, “We want to represent our own views in the decision making process of the politics of this country.â€Ends
FIFTY- three new un-registered political parties and organisations have formed a coalition protesting their exclusion from the on-going talks between the Movement and multi-partists.
Leaders of the New Parties Forum (NPF) yesterday referred to the current talks to which they were not invited, as a fraudulent dialogue and a waste of taxpayers’ money.
They said they would seek legal redress in the courts of law if the matter is not addressed.
They raised their concerns at a press conference held at the National Theatre Gardens in Kampala.
“We strongly object to the arrangement and criteria used in selecting the seven parties coalition on behalf of the opposition for talks with Government,†said a statement read by NPF co-ordinator, Webster Lukwiya.
Lukwiya is the chairman of the People Initiative for Total Unification of Africa (Uganda Chapter).
Amos Kisambira, lawyer of NPF, said the Forum, which consists of independent parties, was formed three weeks ago. He said the parties had fulfilled their requirements according to the law and were awaiting their certificates of registration.
Others present yesterday were NPF Vice Coordinator, Sadam Bisase, who is chairman Congress Service Volunteers (COSEVO), Secretary General, Fred Sematimba, who is president Uganda People’s Forum and Alhaji Sulaiman Masaba, chairman, Uganda People’s Party.
They said, “For Government to assume that only a few individuals from the groups it has selected and its team alone can effectively thrash out the daunting problems of Uganda, is to say the least, preposterous, absurd and ridiculous,†they said.
“What guarantee is there that whatever they will agree upon with these groups will accord with our position?†they asked. They said, “We want to represent our own views in the decision making process of the politics of this country.â€Ends