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Dec 23, 2003

THE OPPOSITION in Uganda can behave like a headless chicken.<br>For years they campaigned for a return to multi-party politics.

THE OPPOSITION in Uganda can behave like a headless chicken.
For years they campaigned for a return to multi-party politics.

Now they are demanding a government of national unity after 2006! In other words they now want to perpetuate the Movement system that incorporates all political tendencies into a broad-based government.

Yesterday’s press conference by representatives of seven political groupings including the UPC, DP, CP and Reform Agenda demonstrated their lack of dynamism.

The National Political Commissar recently proposed talks with the parties to ensure a smooth transition to complete multi-party politics. For the last 17 years the parties have been insisting that pluralism is the solution to Uganda’s problems. Now they are panicking.

They want the talks to be turned into a national conference chaired by the African Union that will lead to a government of national unity after 2006.

Why? Uganda is not in such a grave crisis that it needs to postpone the return to multi-party politics.

Legally parties are now able to organise and campaign nationally so long as they are registered (although government has appealed against the Constitutional Court ruling). They also need police permission for outdoor rallies.

Why don’t the parties just get down to work and start making full political pluralism a reality in Uganda?

This obsession with conferences and negotiations is a form of ideological bankruptcy.

Their insistence on setting preconditions for talks with government will only result in the parties losing the political initiative.

The parties should just go into the talks and make their points there. In the meantime they should register and start organising throughout the country so that they are ready for the likely referendum and 2006 elections.

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