{UAH} Munster Report:AN ADMIRABLE PIECE OF WORK, SAYS OBOTE
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Munster Report
AN ADMIRABLE PIECE OF WORK, SAYS OBOTE
THE Uganda People's Congress accepts the Munster Report with certain minor reservations. This was the statement made by Mr. A.M. Obote to a crowded meeting of electors at Naguru on Saturday afternoon. He spoke for nearly two hours to an enthusiastic audience and was interrupted frequently by shouts of "Uhuru".
Mr. Obote began his long speech by saying that he wanted to report the events of the London visit he had just concluded, but first he wished to deny a report in the Press that he had been ill.
Mr. Obote then dealt at length with the debates which had been going on in the Legislative Council during his absence in London and explained again the policy of his Party on wages.
Finally turning to the Munster Report, he said that the Report was an excellent document. The Report was, he said, obviously inspired by sincerity of purpose and was an admirable piece of work.
He wished to make it clear to the voters however that it was simply a report. It was not a decision. Its recommendations were set out so as to form a basis for discussion. It needed to be thought about and that was what his Party was doing.
Busoga complaint
However he could say now that the U.P.C. accepted the great bulk of the recommendations. There were some matters that they wished to add to and their views were now being formed. For example, the Basoga had complained that the Report had not made proper provision for the Kyabazinga. That was easily put right. If the Basoga wanted to ensure that the Kyabazinga's position was entrenched in the new Constitution this would have the fullest support of the U.P.C.
He said that he had visited a London hospital, not because he was ill but because he wished to be sure that he was in good health for the struggle that lay before the Party and particularly for the London talks due to take place in September.
Time not ripe
He said that he had been most encouraged by the East Africa High Commission talks in London and he was in the fullest agreement with the preservation of the Commission in its present form, with the proviso that the commissioners should be replaced by the three Heads of Government of the three territories when the time came.
Turning to the statement of Mr. Benedicto Kiwanuka, the Chief Minister, Mr. Obote said that he could not understand why he had chosen to make a mystery of the talks which concerned the bigger issue of federation of the three East African territories.
The facts were that Kenya had insisted on trying to get the Conference to deal with this matter.
Tanganyika and Uganda had combined to vote against this on the ground that the time was not ripe for such discussions, and their combined vote had blocked Mr. Tom Mboya's desire that the issue be discussed then.
The Kabaka
Turning to the issue centring on the Kabaka of Buganda and the problems of Buganda, Mr. Obote said: "There is this to be said now. When we first heard of the attitude of the Lukiiko and the Kabaka we knew at once that this was going to delay our progress to independence.
"Very well, we said, this is a matter we must solve ourselves and we have given the whole matter a great deal of study and thought from then till now."
"We have arrived at the only answer that we can see as possible, and that is what I am going to tell you about now."
A handbell, being rung vigorously, interrupted Mr. Obote's speech and there were cries of "Uhuru" and cheers from the audience.
When silence had been restored Mr. Obote said: "It is perfectly clear, and I want to make this so clear that there will never be any doubt about it now or in the future. We are in entire agreement with the terms of the Munster Report's recommendations about the entrenchment of the Kabaka's position in Uganda. The firmer and the safer these are the better for us and our country."
"However, what we suggest as a means of ending the present deadlock between Buganda and the protecting power is simple."
'We can succeed'
"We suggest that the Governor, Sir Frederick Crawford, should cease to try to do the impossible--impossible at least for him--and allow the matter of the negotiations for the settlement of Buganda's future position to be handled by the Legislative Council and the Lukiiko."
"What we suggest is this. Since the Lukiiko is the only body representative of the Baganda, however imperfectly from the purely democratic point of view, this is the body with whom negotiations should be carried on."
"But not by the Governor, not by any British negotiator. This is not a matter any longer for them. It is a matter for the people of Uganda."
"We suggest then that the U.P.C. and the D.P. (if they wish to join the talks) should open negotiations with the Lukiiko, [and] that these should be carried on until a solution is found. I am convinced that where the British have failed we Africans can succeed."
"This matter [is] of the greatest possible importance to the future not only of Uganda but of our neighbour countries Tanganyika and Kenya, should not be left to be mishandled and muddled by the Governor and his men at Entebbe. It is too important to leave it in such hands. The sooner the Governor learns this the better."
Mr. Obote said: "Uganda wants--must have--Independence, complete and full, not later than 1962."
SOURCE: Uganda Argus, Saturday, July 15, 1961.
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-- AN ADMIRABLE PIECE OF WORK, SAYS OBOTE
THE Uganda People's Congress accepts the Munster Report with certain minor reservations. This was the statement made by Mr. A.M. Obote to a crowded meeting of electors at Naguru on Saturday afternoon. He spoke for nearly two hours to an enthusiastic audience and was interrupted frequently by shouts of "Uhuru".
Mr. Obote began his long speech by saying that he wanted to report the events of the London visit he had just concluded, but first he wished to deny a report in the Press that he had been ill.
Mr. Obote then dealt at length with the debates which had been going on in the Legislative Council during his absence in London and explained again the policy of his Party on wages.
Finally turning to the Munster Report, he said that the Report was an excellent document. The Report was, he said, obviously inspired by sincerity of purpose and was an admirable piece of work.
He wished to make it clear to the voters however that it was simply a report. It was not a decision. Its recommendations were set out so as to form a basis for discussion. It needed to be thought about and that was what his Party was doing.
Busoga complaint
However he could say now that the U.P.C. accepted the great bulk of the recommendations. There were some matters that they wished to add to and their views were now being formed. For example, the Basoga had complained that the Report had not made proper provision for the Kyabazinga. That was easily put right. If the Basoga wanted to ensure that the Kyabazinga's position was entrenched in the new Constitution this would have the fullest support of the U.P.C.
He said that he had visited a London hospital, not because he was ill but because he wished to be sure that he was in good health for the struggle that lay before the Party and particularly for the London talks due to take place in September.
Time not ripe
He said that he had been most encouraged by the East Africa High Commission talks in London and he was in the fullest agreement with the preservation of the Commission in its present form, with the proviso that the commissioners should be replaced by the three Heads of Government of the three territories when the time came.
Turning to the statement of Mr. Benedicto Kiwanuka, the Chief Minister, Mr. Obote said that he could not understand why he had chosen to make a mystery of the talks which concerned the bigger issue of federation of the three East African territories.
The facts were that Kenya had insisted on trying to get the Conference to deal with this matter.
Tanganyika and Uganda had combined to vote against this on the ground that the time was not ripe for such discussions, and their combined vote had blocked Mr. Tom Mboya's desire that the issue be discussed then.
The Kabaka
Turning to the issue centring on the Kabaka of Buganda and the problems of Buganda, Mr. Obote said: "There is this to be said now. When we first heard of the attitude of the Lukiiko and the Kabaka we knew at once that this was going to delay our progress to independence.
"Very well, we said, this is a matter we must solve ourselves and we have given the whole matter a great deal of study and thought from then till now."
"We have arrived at the only answer that we can see as possible, and that is what I am going to tell you about now."
A handbell, being rung vigorously, interrupted Mr. Obote's speech and there were cries of "Uhuru" and cheers from the audience.
When silence had been restored Mr. Obote said: "It is perfectly clear, and I want to make this so clear that there will never be any doubt about it now or in the future. We are in entire agreement with the terms of the Munster Report's recommendations about the entrenchment of the Kabaka's position in Uganda. The firmer and the safer these are the better for us and our country."
"However, what we suggest as a means of ending the present deadlock between Buganda and the protecting power is simple."
'We can succeed'
"We suggest that the Governor, Sir Frederick Crawford, should cease to try to do the impossible--impossible at least for him--and allow the matter of the negotiations for the settlement of Buganda's future position to be handled by the Legislative Council and the Lukiiko."
"What we suggest is this. Since the Lukiiko is the only body representative of the Baganda, however imperfectly from the purely democratic point of view, this is the body with whom negotiations should be carried on."
"But not by the Governor, not by any British negotiator. This is not a matter any longer for them. It is a matter for the people of Uganda."
"We suggest then that the U.P.C. and the D.P. (if they wish to join the talks) should open negotiations with the Lukiiko, [and] that these should be carried on until a solution is found. I am convinced that where the British have failed we Africans can succeed."
"This matter [is] of the greatest possible importance to the future not only of Uganda but of our neighbour countries Tanganyika and Kenya, should not be left to be mishandled and muddled by the Governor and his men at Entebbe. It is too important to leave it in such hands. The sooner the Governor learns this the better."
Mr. Obote said: "Uganda wants--must have--Independence, complete and full, not later than 1962."
SOURCE: Uganda Argus, Saturday, July 15, 1961.
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Rehema
Patriot in Kampala,East Africa:UMBS is a registered organization devoted to matters of interest to Muslims in Uganda.Muslims from other countries are welcome to join us too. Follow us on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/#!/UMBSFORUM. To donate to UMBS activities, click on: http://um-bs.com/donate/ or just deposit money on UMBS Bank A/C at Bank of Africa:07074320002 .
Patriot in Kampala,East Africa:UMBS is a registered organization devoted to matters of interest to Muslims in Uganda.Muslims from other countries are welcome to join us too. Follow us on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/#!/UMBSFORUM. To donate to UMBS activities, click on: http://um-bs.com/donate/ or just deposit money on UMBS Bank A/C at Bank of Africa:07074320002 .
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