{UAH} Why wasnt NRM banned too?

Parties ban excites FDC, DP

News

Friday, 02 May 2014 00:07

Written by Edward Ssekika

3 Comments

DP's Norbert Mao and FDC's Salaamu Musumba

The ruling NRM and the opposition FDC and DP have welcomed an April 25 High Court decision ordering the Electoral Commission to de-register 10 political parties.

The affected parties are guilty of flouting the Political Parties and Organizations Act, 2005.

Giving the order, Justice Stephen Musota said non-compliance with the law was a breach of public trust. The affected parties are,Progressive Alliance Party (PAP), Bridge Party (BP), National Redemption Party (NRP), Action Party (AP), Uganda Mandate Party (UMP), New Order Democracy (NOP) and People's Independent Party (PIP).

Others are, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Movement Volunteers Mobilisers Organization (MVMO) and Reform Party (RP). The court ruling followed an EC petition for the de-registration, pursuant to section 21 of the PPOA.

Not only do the parties not have known offices, they have failed to convene delegates' conferences and to submit annual audited accounts to the EC as required by the law (PPOA). Wafula Oguttu, the Leader of Opposition, said banningwhat he called 'briefcase political parties' was long overdue.

"Why do we form political parties? If you have a political party that is in someone's pocket, then it is not a political party," he said.

"A political party must be politically active and national in character. We [FDC] have no problem with such an action," Wafula added.

He also pointed out that the majority of registered political parties had never fielded a single candidate in any election and donot participate in political activities. Wafula conceded that many political parties are inactive due to lack of funding and blamed government for failing to fund them.

"It is very expensive to build and run a political party. Political parties expect funding from members and other stakeholders. But people are too poor to even buy a party card," he said.

He wondered why eight years since the enactment of the Political Parties and Organizations Act, which provides for the funding of political parties, government has adamantly refused to live up to its obligation.

"Let government at least allocate one per cent of the national budget to funding political parties in Uganda," he proposed.Ofwono Opondo, the NRM deputy spokesman, said the court ruling was a wakeup call for political parties.

Uganda had 38 political parties, but with the ruling, they are now 28. However, out of the 28, only six are represented in Parliament. Fairly well known parties that are not represented in Parliament include, Social Democratic Party (SDP), Uganda Federal Alliance (UFA), People's Development Party (PDP) and People's Progressive Party (PPP).

DP Secretary General Mathias Nsubuga agrees with Wafula that banning 'inactive' parties is right.  "We have political parties that are brief case. They have no office, don't convene meetings and have no membership," he said.

He added that some parties are run like family businesses.

"Some people registered political parties thinking that they would use them as vehicles to access funds from either government or donors," Nsubuga charged. According to the law, political parties must have offices, elect leaders, convene meetings such as the national delegates' conference, and submit annual audited accounts to the Electoral Commission.

In his ruling, Justice Musota said these legal requirements are not mere formalities but to be taken seriously.

"It is common knowledge that political parties influence the political process," Musota said."Therefore, they must be law abiding. Competing for political power requires a party to respect the rule of law."

ssekika@observer.ug

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"War is nothing but a  continuation of political intercourse, with a mixture of other means. Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest."