{UAH} Resign, Otafiire tells minister Alex Onzima

Resign, Otafiire tells minister Alex Onzima

Written by DEO WALUSIMBI & ALEX NSUBUGA

 Last Updated: 26 August 2015

 

Gen Kahinda Otafiire

Local Government minister Alex Onzima's open criticism last week of a government push for the creation of new districts in Parliament has provoked an angry backslash from his cabinet colleagues and started a conversation about collective responsibility.

Speaking on CBS radio on Monday, Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Kahinda Otafiire insisted that Onzima should resign his ministerial position.

"Why doesn't [Onzima] resign and get out of cabinet?" Maj Gen Otafiire told CBS's Luganda programme,  Nze nga Bwendaba (The Way I see it). "He should resign because cabinet should speak with one voice; are you oblivious of that?".

Prodded further by the CBS interviewer on Onzima's outspokenness against new districts, Otafiire said his colleague spoke about  things he was less knowledgeable about.

"It is his [Onzima's] business; go and ask him why he is talking about things he is not knowledgeable about? Ask him because there is what we call collective cabinet responsibility. If he is saying things, it is his own business," Otafiire said.

In a subsequent interview with The Observer on August 24, Onzima insisted that he speaks his mind without fear of the "collective responsibility" gag rule.

In the interview, he also criticized the country's poor quality education and medical services. He also took a swipe at former vice-president Gilbert Bukenya and former prime minister Amama Mbabazi for only speaking out after they were sacked from government, and  not when they still held big cabinet jobs.

In Parliament on August 20, Onzima made the loudest arguments against the creation of new districts to the utter consternation of colleagues. To the chagrin of the ruling NRM, Onzima brandished letters from Keith Muhakanizi, the secretary to the treasury, that warned about the dire financial consequences of creating new districts.

"Mr Speaker, I am mature in mind and in head. I try anything possible to be honest. I am reading this letter in good faith. As I said, I will continue to read the list of the people who are copied in," Onzima said after Ruth Nankabirwa, the government chief whip, and Henry Banyenzaki, the minister of state for Economic Monitoring, tried and failed to silence him on the floor.

After reading the letter, Onzima said: "I would like therefore to be guided whether we are proceeding right on this motion."

That motion was defeated but Otafiire told CBS that he had no problem with the creation of new counties and districts now, even without funds to operationalise them.
"If there is no money, there is no money. Don't you want to buy an aeroplane? Do you have money to buy it? Government wants to create [19 new] municipalities, finance says we don't have money. So, if there is no money [to facilitate them] there is no money. Are we going to steal? " he said.

Asked why cabinet and parliament approved the new municipalities well knowing there is no money, Otafiire said: "No, we approved them because people wanted them, but if there is no money there is no money. So, are we going to hang ourselves because there is no money?"

"It's not bad to wish to buy an airplane, but if you can't afford it, you can't afford it, period! I would like to have the [new] municipalities, but if finance [officials] are saying there is no money, there is no money, what should we do?" 

PRIME MINISTER, MINISTERS SPEAK OUT

In separate interviews with The Observer on Monday, Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda and some ministers voiced their disagreement with Onzima's conduct.

Onzima's boss, Adolf Mwesige, the minister for Local Government said: "I would advise him [Onzima] to follow the cabinet collective responsibility. Once cabinet has taken a decision, any minister should follow it otherwise there would be anarchy if any minister was allowed to speak the way he or she wants."

"There was no reason why he was presenting letters at the last minute on the floor when they had become old because they had been overtaken by other new letters. So, his conduct was embarrassing," Mwesige added.

Asked whether Onzima's conduct points to a disagreement between Mwesige and his junior, he said: "I don't think so, because we try as much as we can to work in harmony."

Henry Banyenzaki, the minister of state in charge of Economic Monitoring, said: "I don't know what happened to him [Onzima] because his movement was uncoordinated and he exhibited some kind of frustration, which needs to be studied further because his conduct was not proper."

"We [ministers] are moving well in the presidency, but I think the prime minister needs to make concerted efforts to coordinate some individuals in the ministries," Banyenzaki observed.

Prime Minister Rugunda told The Observer: "I am fully aware of what you are talking about, but leave it to the government mechanism to handle the situation internally."

___________________________________

Gwokto La'Kitgum

"Even a small dog can piss on a tall Building", Jim Hightower

"But this I know, UPC believed and still believes in

very high education. We can call Obote all bad names we have, but the bottom line remains that he got more scholarships for Buganda than all previous Uganda leaders combined. That includes Sir Edward Mutesa, President Lule, President Binayisa, up to and into Ssabasajja Mutebi. Who all happen to be Baganda leaders." Mulindwa

--
Disclaimer:Everyone posting to this Forum bears the sole responsibility for any legal consequences of his or her postings, and hence statements and facts must be presented responsibly. Your continued membership signifies that you agree to this disclaimer and pledge to abide by our Rules and Guidelines.To unsubscribe from this group, send email to: ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com or Abbey Semuwemba at: abbeysemuwemba@gmail.com.