Opposition leaders meet IPU delegates; Call for political reforms
SOURCE: THE DAILY MONITOR, 2 APRIL 2012
FDC leader, Dr Kizza Besigye, who is also the chairperson of the Democratic Union of Africa addressing IPU delegates at Grand Imperial Hotel on Monday.
Opposition leaders on Monday succeeded in gaining audience with delegates attending the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Kampala, and used the opportunity to call for political and economic reforms in the country.
“Most dictators have reached a self-limiting stage with irreconcilable contradictions and conscious citizenly determined to change their destiny. The transition from neo-patrimonial rule to more democratic and stable states is more eminent than ever,” said Dr Besigye, who is also the chairperson of the Democratic Union of Africa.In a stormy informal meeting addressed by the opposition Forum for Democratic Change leader, Dr Kizza Besigye, at Grand Imperial Hotel, and attended by delegates from four countries—Finland, Iceland, Estoria and Sri-lanka—the opposition called upon the international community to take on an active role in assisting African countries avert crises from degenerating into violent confrontations, and to support transition between regimes by restraining governments from using violent repression.
He added;” It is therefore urgent that the international community seizes the moment to support the transition processes by restraining the regimes from the use of violent repression supports these reforms,” Besigye described neo-patrimonial states as states where leaders, realizing they are no longer popular, take advantage of their positions to use state resources to secure loyalty of the population.
Besigye said that what is urgently needed in Uganda are political and economic reforms that can lead to transition and a more open and accountable system of government.
He said five things needed to be fixed urgently: electoral reforms, decreasing public expenditure, dismantling patronage systems, decreasing military expenditure and putting in place legal, institutional and administrative reforms to address pervasive corruption.
The opposition has been reduced to supplying fliers and booklets in an effort to communicate with the delegates, Besigye said, since government denied them a slot on the IPU agenda.
One of the topics up for discussion at the conference which has attracted 1500 delegates from 158 countries is good governance.
One of the topics up for discussion at the conference which has attracted 1500 delegates from 158 countries is good governance.
Besigye demanded that the IPU puts in place a special body to monitor human rights abuses in Uganda, which he said are on the increase.
“Lately some of our partners have embraced and given succor to vicious dictatorships while ostensibly focused on the legitimate fight against terrorism. While Uganda’s oversized military is being taken advantage of to control tourists and extremists in Somalia, the Museveni regime is doing exactly the same things that made Somalia the failed state it is,” said Dr Besigye.
The opposition leaders were due to address the delegates from Fairway Hotel only to be stopped by the Hotel management at the last minute. Another venue—Grand Imperial Hotel—was communicated on short notice. This led to allegations by the opposition leaders that government was frustrating it’s plans.
“We had organized the meeting in Fairway but state machinery used its patronage to fail us. We have also been informed that this meeting is illegal and that we must stop it,” said Ms Alice Alaso,the Secretary General of FDC. One of the leaders present, FDC’s Jack Sabiiti (Rukiga County), said the country has been militarized .
“Police has been trained to act as an army. If not removed, it is likely to cause more trouble. We need support of other governments and Parliaments to take the message across but we are seated on dangerous grounds where conflict can emerge,” said Sabiiti.
Kampala woman MP Ms Naggayi Nabila said that she was knocked down by a speeding police vehicle while addressing her constituents. “IPU should see reality about Uganda’s Parliament and the democracy in the country. When you are in the opposition, you must ask police for permission to talk to your constituents. We now want to remove the veil so that the delegates can clearly see the true democracy being talked about in the country,” said Ms Nabila.
The delegates, who did not speak to the media, left as soon as the meeting ended.
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