{UAH} DREAT TV FROM 7.00 PM TP 8.00 PM

ON DREAM TV TONIGHT
DIRECT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IS THE COMMON MAN'S WEAPON
Morning brothers and sisters, now that Parliament has tasked committee
on statutory intuitions to investigate the six billion bonanza by 42
public officers, we can see that the Speaker was after the image of
the National Assembly. Even the Deputy Chief Justice should not be
personally blamed. We are watching with interests events in the
Islamic Republic of Gambia, and all these and others shall be topical
tonight on Dream TV from 7.00 pm to 8.00 pm. Juma Kareem. Good
weekend.
However early this week Red Pepper came with a story where some
Ugandans want to replace a Presidential direct election system with a
parliamentary indirect election system. There was mixed reaction here
and n the Diaspora.
My original position was as follows
NO RETREAT TO WESTMINSTER
Brothers and sisters, Uganda evolved from an acaphalous to a
centralized society or societies under Abatembuzi, Abacwezi, Luo
Babiito or Balangira, etc... between 1000 and 1500 A.D. in form of
Kitara , Nkore, Bunyoro, Buganda, Busoga principalities, Tooro, etc...
Then a temporary set back under colonialism between 1890 and 1962, a
republic in 1967 and a state of the masses or popular participatory
democracy since 1986 which is still under consolidation ever since the
promulgation of 1995 constitution.
Under an absolute monarchies we had absolute Bakamas, Kabakas,
Abagabe, etc...until in 1955 and after when they became constitutional
and parties with majority of seats in parliaments be national
assembly, Lukiiko, Orukurato, Eishengyero, etc... formed government
under a Westminster style.
This was retained by the Republican Constitution despite its
complications like DP forming popular vote in1962 but UPC making
alliance with KY to form government and in 1980 DP doing the same and
UPC wins more seats just like what has just transpired in US.
The 1995 Constitution solved that when President, Parliament and local
government leaders are directly elected by the people.
That should be consolidated other than making a retreat to Westminster
which is a complicated system.
So what l have read in Red Pepper which Mzee Jaberi Bidandi Ssali
wanted to introduce in 2005, or what Gen.David Sejusa wanted to
introduce in one of C.A. Committees, or even Eng. Winnie Byanyima
wanted to introduce a French system where President and Prime Minister
share executive powers, will bring complications.
Sejusa wanted a President to be a Head of state like Sir Edward
Muteesa and Prime Minister becomes Head of Government. This was
experimented in 1962 and it failed. Byanyima who was our ambassador in
France, wanted to import a French system to an Anglophone country. It
could not work.
De-enfranchising the people of Uganda from directly electing a
President, a Regional Premier or a Local Government leader is worse
than doing away with presidential term limits or age limits.
Aluta continua.
ADITIONALLY
If we are to return to a parliamentary system, we must ensure that we
have equal representation in parliament generally as it was the case
in 1962 and 1980. This was because directly elected constituencies
were demarcated on population quotas of 100,000 people.
But since NRC days in 1989, when we used counties, municipalities and
city divisions as constituencies, and since C.A. days were population
size was reduced to 70,00, a number of counties and municipalities
have been created in the east, west and north and less in Buganda and
naively some Banda leaders are opposed to that. It means that, Buganda
will stop to be a block vote as it has less MPs compared to other
areas.
For example, on average a district is supposed to have at least
300,000 people. Every district has a woman MP. But Wakiso has over two
million and it has only one instead of at least six. Kampala which is
over 1.5 million people also has one instead of vive.
When it comes t directly elected members. Busiro East is 600,000 and
it has one MPs, Nansana Municipality is 400,000 and it has one.
Makindye Ssaabagabo is 300,000 it has one. Busiro South is 250,000 and
t has one. Yet in all fairness, Entebbe covering Makindye Ssabagabo,
Kajjansi, Sisa, Katabi, Kasanje and Entebbe municipality should be a
city of its own or at least an urban district. Wakiso covering the
entire Busiro East should also be a city or at least an urban
district. Nansana should be a city or an urban district. Kira and
Kyaddondo East should be a city or at least an urban district. Busiro
North may remain a rural district.
If Entebbe, Wakiso, Nabweru and Kira are not declared cities, and they
get a status of urban districts, they should be made up of
municipalities. That was the cry of NRM leadership in Wakiso when
they met the President in 2015.
Lastly, directly presidential election is the weapon of a common man.
If a region is marginalized, it uses the ballot to punish or reward a
president. But if he can find his way through parliament, some of the
regions may be forgotten altogether.
Let's maintain what transpired in Constituent Assembly where though l
was not a delegate, l was a permanent correspondent.

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