Opposition presidential candidates sign pact for unity govt

Five opposition presidential candidates have signed a declaration of principles committing to collaboration before, during and after the 2021 elections.

The move was brokered for former president general of the Democratic Party (DP), Dr Paul Ssemogerere.

The candidates are Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine of National Unity Platform (NUP), Norbert Mao of Democratic Party (DP), Maj.

Gen. (rtd) Mugisha Muntu of Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), Eng. Patrick Oboi Amuriat of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and Lt. Gen. (rtd) Henry Tumukunde, an independent.

Justice Forum (JEEMA) and the ‘People's government' of four-time presidential candidate Col (rtd) Dr Kizza Besigye also signed the pact in the presence of Ssemogerere.

This was during a ‘unity in diversity' conference held at Hotel Africana in Kampala on Wednesday. The function was witnessed by political, religious and cultural leaders who attended Ssemogerere's peace award celebration on September 7.

Ssemogerere was mandated to broker unity among the opposition. Since the five presidential candidates were on the campaign trail, they sent representatives.

FDC and DP national chairpersons Wasswa Birigwa and Dr Kiwanuka Mayambala signed on behalf of Amuriat and Mao, respectively. Dr Lina Zedriga, the NUP vicechairperson in charge of northern Uganda, signed on behalf of Kyagulanyi; Wilberforce Seryazi, the ANT spokesperson signed on behalf of Mugisha Muntu while Omar Kalinge- Nnyago, the chairperson of Renewed Uganda platform, represented Tumukunde.

Muhammad Kibirige, the JEEMA chairperson, signed on behalf of party president Asuman Basalirwa, while Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago signed on behalf of Besigye's ‘People's government."

What pact says

In the pact, the candidates, through their representatives, declared that their main goal is to provide Ugandans with a new political order and a government based on constitutionalism with a functioning multiparty system that will respect civic, social and economic rights, uphold dignity and promote national unity under their natural diversities.

To achieve that goal, the pact said, requires institutional and structural reforms.

They also denounced the state-inspired violence in the country, in general and in particular the brutalities meted out against opposition presidential candidates and their supporters, which they claimed had resulted in several cold-blooded killings.

"And we now demand that an authoritative independent commission of inquiry be set up over this matter immediately," they said.

The candidates affirmed that it was possible to pursue common objectives in principle without losing their individual political identities.

They also pledged to form a common platform to work towards addressing the structural and institutional issues which are the principal sources of the misuse of power and which are threatening to adversely affect the 2021 polls.

The candidates also committed to forming a transitional coalition/ government of national unity inclusive of all key change-seeking candidates and political leaders, in the event one of them wins the 2021 elections.

The candidates vowed that when the will of the people is manipulated, the common platform shall undertake to do everything possible in a non-violent and democratic manner to cause structural changes to restore democracy in the country.

They also committed to establishing a common secretariat to work towards the realisation of the principles in the declaration.

Ssemogerere speaks out

Ssemogerere urged opposition leaders to commit themselves and their organisations to an agenda of working together for peace, unity and constitutionalism.

"It is time, ladies and gentlemen, to wake up to arm our leaders who are at the forefront of this campaign and send a clear message to our friends and foes in this country and abroad that we are serious and we want change. We want the gaps in our Constitution regarding authority of local government and the powers at the centre to be plugged," Ssemogerere said.

He added that Uganda has never had a single free and fair election since gaining independence and it is not because they do not have credible, honest and distinguished people who can administer electoral process properly or good lawyers to draft the appropriate laws to replace laws which are full of gaps regarding the elections.

"There are many stories going on now about even the criteria on the basis of which the current electoral system like the previous ones was appointed; there are hidden factors and maybe time for these stories to be investigated," Ssemogerere said.

"The current electoral law is not only inadequate; it is not a proper law to cater for free and fair electoral process. It is not to say do not participate; it is to say let's get our act together for a rainy day," he added.

Urging the political figures to be champions of "a new liberation", the former Democratic Party leader and 1996 election presidential candidate said he will marshal support and give explanations, so that "we rescue ourselves from this bondage".