{UAH} Pojim/WBK- Anti-Museveni plan unveiled
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Anti-Museveni plan unveiled
• 2 alliances, one opposition candidate
• Mbabazi team hesitant on one term
Opposition politicians and civil society activists were today expected to unveil plans for a grand coalition they hope will defeat President Museveni in next year's elections.
Various sources told us that a select group of leaders would meet at a yet-to-be disclosed venue before holding a press conference to unpack everything, something that was later confirmed by key figures involved in the discussions.
The plans are the result of months of relationship- and consensus building, initially around the issue of electoral reforms. These interactions have drawn Uganda's political opposition ever closer to politically-engaged civil society groups.
The latest of these interactions came late last week, at a four-day retreat in Entebbe, which was first reported by The Observer on Monday (See Mbabazi, Bukenya unite in opposition) where leaders agreed a five-principle strategy that would create a formidable coalition against President Museveni.
The retreat ran from last Wednesday to Sunday at Katomi Kingdom Resort hotel, owned by former vice-president and presidential hopeful Gilbert Bukenya. In separate telephone interviews yesterday, key opposition figures who attended the retreat said the entire agreed 2016 grand plan against President Museveni will be unveiled publicly at a press conference today, Wednesday.
"We have invited you tomorrow [Wednesday] for the full…details of all our meetings which we had from Wednesday to Sunday [last week]," said DP Secretary General Mathias Nsubuga.
Wafula Oguttu, the leader of opposition in parliament also said, "We shall have a meeting tomorrow [today] and a press conference [after]."
The Observer reported on Monday that the strategy meetings against Museveni's 30-year rule reunited sworn cabinet enemies Bukenya and Amama Mbabazi against their former boss.
DISCUSSIONS
Among other people, the retreat was attended by FDC President Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu, his predecessor Kizza Besigye, DP Secretary General Mathias Nsubuga, Gilbert Bukenya and Hope Mwesigye (who led a three-member delegation that represented Mbabazi.
Civil society activists were represented by Godber Tumushabe, the director of the Great Lakes Institute for Strategic Studies and retired Kampala Assistant Bishop Zac Niringiye, who was the convener.
DETAILS
It is understood that despite a show of apparent consensus, the discussions among the various interests have not been easy. One sign of that, for instance, is the consideration of two separate but interlinked movements or alliances.
On the one hand is the electoral alliance, which will concentrate on trying to end President Museveni's 30-year rule. The other is the democratic alliance, which will involve religious and civil society groups determined to push for a level political playing fields. It is understood that this separation became necessary because some actors were not keen on elections without reforms, while others were determined to confront Museveni whatever the legal environment.
Insider sources said the retreat agreed to form a coalition transition government, which will oversee the drafting of a new constitution. The opposition leaders also agreed to field joint presidential, parliamentary and local government candidates.
They also agreed to go the Kenyan way. According to sources, the presidential candidate would have a running mate who would, upon an electoral victory, become a deputy president with powers entrenched in the constitution as opposed to the current appointive vice president who has lesser powers.
Although The Observer wasn't in position to establish its length, we understand that the meeting agreed to have one non-renewable term for the transition coalition government which, according to sources, would be called the United Democratic Alliance.
Prior to the 2011 elections, a section the opposition formed a loose alliance dubbed Ssuubi 2011, which supported Besigye's presidential bid and some MP and local government candidates.
The retreat also agreed that each political party [interested in joining the coalition] shall present a candidate. And pressure groups such as A4C (activists for change) can also field their preferred candidates.
They agreed that all candidates including the running mate, shall be given time to agree amongst themselves who would be the best candidate. Opposition figures also agreed that parties will retain the MP seats and district chairpersons where they have incumbents – which means that coalition partners will not field candidates against a candidate of another coalition partner party who is a sitting MP.
However, parties also retain the discretion to change their own candidates where they hold seats [if they deem it necessary]. The retreat also agreed that all independents aligned to the opposition like Mathias Mpuuga, Moses Kasibante and Erias Lukwago will not get opposition challengers.
DISAGREEMENTS
Sources said there were some sticky issues. FDC's Muntu, sources said, was opposed to allowing pressure groups to front candidates because that would undermine the supremacy of political parties.
The proposal to give the president under the coalition government only one term was vehemently opposed by the Mbabazi group. After a lengthy strategy discussion, The Observer understands that a memorandum of understanding (MOU) containing all resolutions was drafted and waits to be signed probably today.
CLARIFICATION
Interviewed for a comment yesterday, Bishop Niringiye cautioned us against "believing any speculation about our meeting and wait for the official historic revelation tomorrow [today]."
But Godber Tumushabe said in a separate interview that they discussed "modalities and criteria of selecting the joint candidate[s]."
"To be honest with you, on that sole candidacy, we have not singled out who will be [our best candidate], but what is true is that we have discussed the modalities and criteria of selecting the joint candidates," Tumushabe said yesterday.
"We agreed that every detail of the meeting will be unveiled tomorrow, but this whole process is focused on [achieving] a free and fair process [of holding elections] for everybody including those within NRM," he added.
Tumushabe said, however, that they don't care when this process would be achieved.
"[When] we talk about free and fair elections, everybody thinks about [President] Museveni, but for us we are pushing for a free and fair process for everybody. As to whether it must be delivered by the current [Museveni] regime or another regime, that is another matter."
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sadabkk@observer.ug
http://www.observer.ug/news-headlines/38279-anti-museveni-plan-unveiled
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