{UAH} How Museveni gains from quashed anti-gay law - News - www.theeastafrican.co.ke
|
9:51 AM |
No comments |
How Museveni gains from quashed anti-gay law - News
As Ugandans who opposed the anti-gay law and the reappointment of Benjamin Odoki as chief justice continue to celebrate the annulment of the two, the biggest victor appears to be President Yoweri Museveni.
His investment in both cases was marked by his public signing of the former and his insistence on the latter in spite of contrary advice from the Judicial Service Commission, which is responsible for filling all judicial positions.
Analysts say the two Constitutional Court rulings on August 1 and August 4 that reversed both decisions have, in effect, enabled President Museveni to please all the key principals involved at no more cost to him than momentary noises made by pressure groups over the past five months, especially in regard to the anti-homosexuality law.
"The ruling on Odoki is not such a huge victory for the judiciary as some people have made it out to be. If President Museveni had put up a fight and lost, like in the Cerinah Nebanda case where he swore only over his dead body would parliament reconvene, then it would merit jubilation.
"But, if he had a deal with Odoki, the latter will now leave convinced that Museveni did everything within his powers to get him in again," said Beti Kamya, the president of the Uganda Federal Alliance, a political party campaigning for a referendum to review presidential powers.
On the anti-gay law, Peter Walubiri, a senior lawyer who declined to join the petitioners' legal team, says by signing a Bill he was not fully sold on, Museveni sought to please voters.
Yet, by letting it be legally challenged — some say he actively encouraged the suit — he sought to please upset donors, who had even stopped or redirected their aid.
According to Ms Kamya, President Museveni also sought to steal the thunder from Speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga, who pushed the Bill through.
The two are rumoured to harbour growing political rivalry. Ms Kadaga has consistently posted high ratings in opinion polls as someone the public would like to see replace President Museveni.
"Before he signed the Bill, Museveni asked Fox Odoi, West Budama County North MP, to find ways it could be challenged in law. Five days before he signed, I was approached by one of the lawyers who told me the president was going to sign the Bill but had asked it to be challenged. He asked whether I could join the team. I refused," Mr Walubiri told The EastAfrican.
But Mr Odoi, a first term MP and President Museveni's former legal assistant, denied taking such directives from the president or sitting in a meeting where the matter was discussed.
While the Attorney General Peter Nyombi has said the government will appeal the ruling in the Odoki case, a section of MPs, led by Latif Ssebaggala, Kawempe North MP, have vowed to table the anti-gay law again by interrupting the budget process in order to pass it within the next two months. Analysts say both are exercises in futility.
According to Walubiri, Mr Nyombi's appeal in the Supreme Court is tricky because Odoki, who sits there, is disqualified to constitute the bench.
As to the Ssebaggala-led campaign, Morris Ogenga-Latigo, a fourth petitioner in the anti-gay law case and a former leader of opposition, said MPs should study the petition exhaustively and address its concerns.
By Gaaki Kigambo and Dicta Asiimwe
http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/How-Museveni-gains-from-quashed-anti-gay-law-/-/2558/2413754/-/156lo84/-/index.html
0 comments:
Post a Comment