Govt rejects Party demands
Jan 19, 2004
THE first face-to-face meeting between the multiparty and the Movement leaders kicked off yesterday with the Government objecting to five of the partyists' demands.
By Felix Osike and Henry Mukasa
THE first face-to-face meeting between the multiparty and the Movement leaders kicked off yesterday with the Government objecting to five of the partyists' demands.
The meeting, chaired by the Movement’s National Political Commissar, Dr. Crispus Kiyonga, kicked off at 10:26am at the Fairway Hotel in a cordial atmosphere.
Delegates from both sides shook hands, hugged and laughed heartily as if they were not political rivals.
However, the meeting was almost derailed when Kiyonga described the partyists' as political forces and not political organisations. They also disagreed on whether to adopt the agenda before or after preliminary statements from both sides.
Dr. Jean Barya, a Makerere University law academic and leader of the coalition of multiparty organisations, raised the objections.
Kiyonga, appealed to the partyists' to accommodate each other’s views.
He said as Uganda moved to multiparty democracy, care must be taken “not to slide backwards and lose hard won gains.â€
He said some of the partyists'’ demands as contained in their December 22 letter to him were unacceptable.
The parties want an interim government to manage the transition to multiparty democracy.
“The government in place was constitutionally elected. There is no failed or failing state in Uganda,†Kiyonga said.
He said there was no reason for suggesting a national conference to resolve the country’s outstanding political issues. He said the Government also rejected the assertion that the Movement was authoritarian, militaristic and exclusivist.
“This suggestion smells of ingratitude and intent to mislead,†Kiyonga said.
Partyists' have also objected to chakamchaka courses but Kiyonga said they were being conducted in line with the demands of the Constitution.
He said other than the seven political forces, the Government would consult groups that are seeking registration and others that represent significant political thinking.
The government team meets DP and CP splinter groups’ leaders and other political organisations on January 22.
Barya said, “We would like to have a dialogue and not mere consultations. You cannot reach a consensus by merely consulting and then the other makes the decision alone.
“What we agree on must be binding on both sides,†Barya said.
“If the Government is genuine and takes this process seriously as we do, we think it will be part of those conditions and make a peaceful and better Uganda,†he added.
He said the partyists' had come to table not to “eat†but work for the good of not the government and themselves but the people of this nation.
He urged the Government not to shy away from the word ‘organisation’ which he said defines groups with principles and constitutions.
Barya caused laughter when he questioned the mandate, character and status of Kiyonga’s team.
“Is it (team) a government, Movement, NRM, LCs delegation or is it a mixture of everything,†Barya said.
Kiyonga said it was a government delegation.
Barya said they were not opposed to the Government consulting other political groups but they were opposed to creation of fake groups “like it did during the referendum.â€
“That was not a genuine process.
Those who represented multi-parties were not multipartyists. Let’s not involve gimmicks,†Barya said.
Barya said government officials continue to use derogatory language against multi-partyists' and to refuse them chance to consult and these were not creating a conducive atmosphere for the two-months talks.
After the opening ceremony, the press was locked out.
The talks were adjourned to Friday at 10:00am.
THE first face-to-face meeting between the multiparty and the Movement leaders kicked off yesterday with the Government objecting to five of the partyists' demands.
The meeting, chaired by the Movement’s National Political Commissar, Dr. Crispus Kiyonga, kicked off at 10:26am at the Fairway Hotel in a cordial atmosphere.
Delegates from both sides shook hands, hugged and laughed heartily as if they were not political rivals.
However, the meeting was almost derailed when Kiyonga described the partyists' as political forces and not political organisations. They also disagreed on whether to adopt the agenda before or after preliminary statements from both sides.
Dr. Jean Barya, a Makerere University law academic and leader of the coalition of multiparty organisations, raised the objections.
Kiyonga, appealed to the partyists' to accommodate each other’s views.
He said as Uganda moved to multiparty democracy, care must be taken “not to slide backwards and lose hard won gains.â€
He said some of the partyists'’ demands as contained in their December 22 letter to him were unacceptable.
The parties want an interim government to manage the transition to multiparty democracy.
“The government in place was constitutionally elected. There is no failed or failing state in Uganda,†Kiyonga said.
He said there was no reason for suggesting a national conference to resolve the country’s outstanding political issues. He said the Government also rejected the assertion that the Movement was authoritarian, militaristic and exclusivist.
“This suggestion smells of ingratitude and intent to mislead,†Kiyonga said.
Partyists' have also objected to chakamchaka courses but Kiyonga said they were being conducted in line with the demands of the Constitution.
He said other than the seven political forces, the Government would consult groups that are seeking registration and others that represent significant political thinking.
The government team meets DP and CP splinter groups’ leaders and other political organisations on January 22.
Barya said, “We would like to have a dialogue and not mere consultations. You cannot reach a consensus by merely consulting and then the other makes the decision alone.
“What we agree on must be binding on both sides,†Barya said.
“If the Government is genuine and takes this process seriously as we do, we think it will be part of those conditions and make a peaceful and better Uganda,†he added.
He said the partyists' had come to table not to “eat†but work for the good of not the government and themselves but the people of this nation.
He urged the Government not to shy away from the word ‘organisation’ which he said defines groups with principles and constitutions.
Barya caused laughter when he questioned the mandate, character and status of Kiyonga’s team.
“Is it (team) a government, Movement, NRM, LCs delegation or is it a mixture of everything,†Barya said.
Kiyonga said it was a government delegation.
Barya said they were not opposed to the Government consulting other political groups but they were opposed to creation of fake groups “like it did during the referendum.â€
“That was not a genuine process.
Those who represented multi-parties were not multipartyists. Let’s not involve gimmicks,†Barya said.
Barya said government officials continue to use derogatory language against multi-partyists' and to refuse them chance to consult and these were not creating a conducive atmosphere for the two-months talks.
After the opening ceremony, the press was locked out.
The talks were adjourned to Friday at 10:00am.