2006 threatened to burn, it didn’t
Dec 31, 2006
THE presidential, local council and parliamentary elections were the main political events of 2006. Phrases like <i>Ajja genda</i> (he will go) referring to President Yoweri Museveni and “<i>Abeewo</i>†(let him stay) welcomed the year.
POLITICAL REVIEW
By Joshua Kato
THE presidential, local council and parliamentary elections were the main political events of 2006. Phrases like Ajja genda (he will go) referring to President Yoweri Museveni and “Abeewo†(let him stay) welcomed the year.
It was not clear who would win the elections. Col Kizza Besigye was still in jail on charges of treason and rape at the beginning of 2006, but was released a few days later.
The Besigye court saga caused a lot of tension such that whenever he had to appear in court, several roads had to be closed to stop crowds from going there.
The 2006 elections being the first under the multi-party system, caused fear of violence. The leading parties: National Resistance Movement (NRM), Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) and Democratic Party (DP), tussled it out. The party representatives were Museveni (NRM), Besigye (FDC), John Ssebaana Kizito (DP), Abed Bwanika (independent) and Nasser Sebaggala (DP).
Uganda had her first female presidential candidate, Miria Obote of UPC, fondly referred to as Mama Miria by her supporters. Dp’s Sebaggala later pulled out, citing interest in the mayoral seat.
On February 23, the elections were held and were reportedly peaceful compared to those of 2001. Museveni won with 59% and his closest rival Besigye got 38%. The major change in the voting pattern was in Teso region. In the previous elections Museveni was voted overwhelmingly, but this time round, Besigye had massive support.
Museveni polled 85% in the west, 63% in central, 65% in Busoga and 60% in Karamoja. Besigye got 75% in north, 60% in West Nile and 70%in Teso.
FDC contested the elections, but the High Court ruled that though they were not free and fair in some regions, this was not enough to change the outcome. After the court ruling, Besigye announced that Museveni was the legal president, but he (Besigye) was the president of the people.
A total of 12 presidents, including some who had previously fallen out with Museveni, attended the swearing-in ceremony on May 12. As the President named his cabinet, there was a lot of tension, especially among the ministers. The most interesting was the appointment of Eriya Kategaya as East African affairs minister and that of former UPC stalwart Omara Atubo as Minister for Lands. Kategaya had been regarded as an FDC stalwart. He was one of Museveni’s former strong allies, who also vehemently opposed the lifting of presidential term limits.
The Eighth Parliament
The parliamentary race was equally tough. Almost half of the old parliamentarians did not return to the House, including 18 ministers. Key FDC members in western Uganda, including Augustine Ruzindana, John Kazora and Justin Sabiiti lost their seats. NRM won at least 240 seats in a House of 333 members. FDC had 40, while independents and other political parties shared the rest. For the first time in Uganda’s history, the First Lady, became a member of parliament. “Ruhaama county has been like an abandoned child. But I have come to develop it,†First Lady Janet Museveni said after winning the elections.
The first multi-party Parliament under the NRM government was also a challenge. The changes included having separate seats for the opposition and the leading party in Parliament and election of an opposition leader. It was also established that no MP could defect to another side without losing his or her seat. The opposition took some of the key committee chairs. These include the Public Accounts Committee chaired by Nandala Mafabi (FDC) and Ssebuliba Mutumba (DP) and the Local Government Accounts Committee chaired by Goeffrey Ekanya (FDC).
But as usual, the issue of remuneration for MPs dominated the agenda. MPs are demanding sh60m from the Government to purchase cars.
In addition, they want the mandatory sh10m Constituency Development Fund given to them quickly.
Although some members of the public view the demands as selfish, there is general agreement among MPs, irrespective of their political stand, that they should get the cars and the development fund.
Ekanya, Mafabi and Mutumba have performed well. They have investigated many cases of misused government funds.
Also fiercely debated, but not concluded, was whether the Government should give land to investors. In this case, the proposed Mabira Forest give-away to Mehta for sugar production and the allocation of more land to BIDCO for palm oil-production in Kalangala district were tabled. A related motion tabled by Erias Lukwago (Kampala Central MP) stopping the allocation of Shimoni Demonstration School and Teachers’ College land to an investor flopped.
Among the new MPs, Betty Kamya (Rubaga North), Erias Lukwago (Kampala Central), Frank Tumwebaze (Kibaale) and David Bahati (Ndorwa West) have contributed to many debates in the House.
Political parties
All political parties have had problems adjusting to the new party dispensation. For example, collective responsibility, one of the key aspects of party politics, has been greatly abused. However, on many occasions, NRM has come up with a unified stand and kept it. DP and UPC did not want to have their MPs in the Shadow Cabinet, but some of them joined.
On the issue of the sh60m grant for cars, whereas NRM MPs are for it, FDC, whose party stand was that they should not get the money, had members saying they would get it. There have been some disagreements among party leaders.
In November, UPC president general Miria sacked Prof Patrick Rubaihayo, a top leader of the party. “If anybody wants me to resign, I am not going to,†she asserted.
FDC has had many wrangles. Wafula Oguttu and Sarah Eperu are still struggling over the post of publicity secretary. As the year ended, however, Besigye tried to resolve the issues.
FDC was the first political group to sell party cards to its members. Although the first launch at the Constitution Square was stopped recently, subsequent launches were organised in other parts of the country. As the year ended, FDC had put in place plans to hold village elections.
NRM masked some of its problems, however, during the November conference, the issues were discussed and a way forward sought. The young MPs including Frank Tumwebaze, Margaret Muhanga and David Bahati came out with papers that documented the challenges of the party. Among these were lack of proper public relations machinery and failure to maintain party supporters.
DP has also weakened. A major conference to revitalise the party that was slated for mid last year was called off. However, as 2006 ended, Ssebaana promised that in 2007, they would mobilise their supporters and revamp the party.
The LRA talks
In July 2006, the Government, and the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) rebels, started holding the most serious peace talks since the war started.
Facilitated by the Government of southern Sudan and several foreign agencies, the talks have been going on for five months in Juba, southern Sudan.
They have not been easy largely because of the lack of trust between the Government’s side led by Ruhakana Rugunda and the LRA side led by Martin Ojur.
The major highlights include two visits to Joseph Kony’s hideout in Garamba by Ugandan and southern Sudanese delegations, including Kony’s mother. For the first time, Kony participated in the talks publicly. He even made statements denying the atrocities in the north, saying he was a freedom fighter.
Global Fund saga
This was not a purely political saga, but it became politically important, especially after three senior NRM leaders were dropped from cabinet as a result of mismanaging the funds. The officials from the health ministry are Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi, Capt. Michael Mukula and Dr. Alex Kamugisha.
The Global Fund is an international body funding HIV/AIDS programmes worldwide. In 2005, the fund suspended funding to Uganda due to suspected abuse and embezzlement of the money. A commission of inquiry was set up and wound up its work in mid 2006. The inquiry pointed out a conflict of interest on part of the ministers. This was the leading embarrassment of 2006.
By Joshua Kato
THE presidential, local council and parliamentary elections were the main political events of 2006. Phrases like Ajja genda (he will go) referring to President Yoweri Museveni and “Abeewo†(let him stay) welcomed the year.
It was not clear who would win the elections. Col Kizza Besigye was still in jail on charges of treason and rape at the beginning of 2006, but was released a few days later.
The Besigye court saga caused a lot of tension such that whenever he had to appear in court, several roads had to be closed to stop crowds from going there.
The 2006 elections being the first under the multi-party system, caused fear of violence. The leading parties: National Resistance Movement (NRM), Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) and Democratic Party (DP), tussled it out. The party representatives were Museveni (NRM), Besigye (FDC), John Ssebaana Kizito (DP), Abed Bwanika (independent) and Nasser Sebaggala (DP).
Uganda had her first female presidential candidate, Miria Obote of UPC, fondly referred to as Mama Miria by her supporters. Dp’s Sebaggala later pulled out, citing interest in the mayoral seat.
On February 23, the elections were held and were reportedly peaceful compared to those of 2001. Museveni won with 59% and his closest rival Besigye got 38%. The major change in the voting pattern was in Teso region. In the previous elections Museveni was voted overwhelmingly, but this time round, Besigye had massive support.
Museveni polled 85% in the west, 63% in central, 65% in Busoga and 60% in Karamoja. Besigye got 75% in north, 60% in West Nile and 70%in Teso.
FDC contested the elections, but the High Court ruled that though they were not free and fair in some regions, this was not enough to change the outcome. After the court ruling, Besigye announced that Museveni was the legal president, but he (Besigye) was the president of the people.
A total of 12 presidents, including some who had previously fallen out with Museveni, attended the swearing-in ceremony on May 12. As the President named his cabinet, there was a lot of tension, especially among the ministers. The most interesting was the appointment of Eriya Kategaya as East African affairs minister and that of former UPC stalwart Omara Atubo as Minister for Lands. Kategaya had been regarded as an FDC stalwart. He was one of Museveni’s former strong allies, who also vehemently opposed the lifting of presidential term limits.
The Eighth Parliament
The parliamentary race was equally tough. Almost half of the old parliamentarians did not return to the House, including 18 ministers. Key FDC members in western Uganda, including Augustine Ruzindana, John Kazora and Justin Sabiiti lost their seats. NRM won at least 240 seats in a House of 333 members. FDC had 40, while independents and other political parties shared the rest. For the first time in Uganda’s history, the First Lady, became a member of parliament. “Ruhaama county has been like an abandoned child. But I have come to develop it,†First Lady Janet Museveni said after winning the elections.
The first multi-party Parliament under the NRM government was also a challenge. The changes included having separate seats for the opposition and the leading party in Parliament and election of an opposition leader. It was also established that no MP could defect to another side without losing his or her seat. The opposition took some of the key committee chairs. These include the Public Accounts Committee chaired by Nandala Mafabi (FDC) and Ssebuliba Mutumba (DP) and the Local Government Accounts Committee chaired by Goeffrey Ekanya (FDC).
But as usual, the issue of remuneration for MPs dominated the agenda. MPs are demanding sh60m from the Government to purchase cars.
In addition, they want the mandatory sh10m Constituency Development Fund given to them quickly.
Although some members of the public view the demands as selfish, there is general agreement among MPs, irrespective of their political stand, that they should get the cars and the development fund.
Ekanya, Mafabi and Mutumba have performed well. They have investigated many cases of misused government funds.
Also fiercely debated, but not concluded, was whether the Government should give land to investors. In this case, the proposed Mabira Forest give-away to Mehta for sugar production and the allocation of more land to BIDCO for palm oil-production in Kalangala district were tabled. A related motion tabled by Erias Lukwago (Kampala Central MP) stopping the allocation of Shimoni Demonstration School and Teachers’ College land to an investor flopped.
Among the new MPs, Betty Kamya (Rubaga North), Erias Lukwago (Kampala Central), Frank Tumwebaze (Kibaale) and David Bahati (Ndorwa West) have contributed to many debates in the House.
Political parties
All political parties have had problems adjusting to the new party dispensation. For example, collective responsibility, one of the key aspects of party politics, has been greatly abused. However, on many occasions, NRM has come up with a unified stand and kept it. DP and UPC did not want to have their MPs in the Shadow Cabinet, but some of them joined.
On the issue of the sh60m grant for cars, whereas NRM MPs are for it, FDC, whose party stand was that they should not get the money, had members saying they would get it. There have been some disagreements among party leaders.
In November, UPC president general Miria sacked Prof Patrick Rubaihayo, a top leader of the party. “If anybody wants me to resign, I am not going to,†she asserted.
FDC has had many wrangles. Wafula Oguttu and Sarah Eperu are still struggling over the post of publicity secretary. As the year ended, however, Besigye tried to resolve the issues.
FDC was the first political group to sell party cards to its members. Although the first launch at the Constitution Square was stopped recently, subsequent launches were organised in other parts of the country. As the year ended, FDC had put in place plans to hold village elections.
NRM masked some of its problems, however, during the November conference, the issues were discussed and a way forward sought. The young MPs including Frank Tumwebaze, Margaret Muhanga and David Bahati came out with papers that documented the challenges of the party. Among these were lack of proper public relations machinery and failure to maintain party supporters.
DP has also weakened. A major conference to revitalise the party that was slated for mid last year was called off. However, as 2006 ended, Ssebaana promised that in 2007, they would mobilise their supporters and revamp the party.
The LRA talks
In July 2006, the Government, and the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) rebels, started holding the most serious peace talks since the war started.
Facilitated by the Government of southern Sudan and several foreign agencies, the talks have been going on for five months in Juba, southern Sudan.
They have not been easy largely because of the lack of trust between the Government’s side led by Ruhakana Rugunda and the LRA side led by Martin Ojur.
The major highlights include two visits to Joseph Kony’s hideout in Garamba by Ugandan and southern Sudanese delegations, including Kony’s mother. For the first time, Kony participated in the talks publicly. He even made statements denying the atrocities in the north, saying he was a freedom fighter.
Global Fund saga
This was not a purely political saga, but it became politically important, especially after three senior NRM leaders were dropped from cabinet as a result of mismanaging the funds. The officials from the health ministry are Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi, Capt. Michael Mukula and Dr. Alex Kamugisha.
The Global Fund is an international body funding HIV/AIDS programmes worldwide. In 2005, the fund suspended funding to Uganda due to suspected abuse and embezzlement of the money. A commission of inquiry was set up and wound up its work in mid 2006. The inquiry pointed out a conflict of interest on part of the ministers. This was the leading embarrassment of 2006.