{UAH} PRESIDENT HAS NO POWER TO ANNOINT A SUCCESOR

PRESIDENT HAS NO POWER TO ANNOINT A SUCCESSOR
While debating EBYAFFE constitutional amendment in NRC in 1993, the
late Jack Maumbe Mukwana said that what happened during 1966 Uganda
Crisis, was not a revolution but a palace coup. He was right because
Obote after abolishing kingdoms and federal states and replacing ythem
with a very centralized imperial presidency as its CEO, he never held
elections .
Otherwise, to borrow from the late Prof.Ali Mazrui, Obote, like the
late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, had turned into a Lenist Tsar. He deposed
Sir Edward Muteesa only to make himself king under an imperial
presidency that was stopped with the promulgation of 1995
Constitution.
So it is wrong for Uganda, a republic, to call upon a President to
anoint his successor. That is tantamount into turning the country into
a monarchy. Then why did we shed blood in 1966? Why did we shed blood
for 1981-1986 liberation war?
In a people's democratic republic, where there is universal adulthood
suffrage and popular participation, it is an insult, to the people,
to tell an incumbent President to anoint his successor.
While according to the Bible, Jesus anointed St. Peter as his
successor, this is mostly acceptable to Roman Catholics who still
regard the Pope as the rightful successor of Peter. The Greek
Orthodox and other Eastern churches have their own popes, one sitting
in former Constantinople now Istanbul, the then capital of Byzantium
or Eastern Roman Empire, another in Alexander in Egypt, etc…
The Protestant churches including Lutherans, Anglicans, Methodists,
Pentecostals don't believe in the Papacy at all.
In Sunni or main stream Orthodox Islam, Prophet Muhammad died without
anointing a successor. The Muhajiroon or Immigrants, from Mecca wanted
to take over. The Answars or helpers, of Medina said it was their
turn. Then there were aristocrats of Mecca, who had embraced Islam
upon conquest of Mecca, who regarded themselves as natural leaders.
There were also legitimists who insisted that the Prophet's successor
must be his blood relative and they pointed on Ali, his cousin and
later son in law.
By consensus, they all agreed on Abubakr, who was Muhammad's comrade
right from young days, and the first person to embrace Islam after
Khadejah, the wife, and Ali, the cousin.
Yet for Shiahs, Abubaker was an usurper after a successful coup, and
to them, Ali was the legitimate successor. So in a rightly guided
khalifate, Abubaker was elected by consensus, and his successors ;
Umaru and Uthman were selected in an indirect election or a form of
electoral college, and Ali was declared Khalifa after the
assassination of his predecessor Uthman.
But even Africa and especially in the Great Lakes Region, in the
Kingdom of Buganda, Kabakas don't anoint successors although they may
recommend and it is upon the Lukiiko to elect a Kabaka. Thus Kintu did
not anoint one of his sons, Chwa l, as his successor neither Chwa did
he anoint his grand son, Kimera, who was imported from Kibulala in
Singo then in Bunyoro. Under BUganda AGreement of 1900, the Kabaka was
elected by Lukiiko from descendents of Kabaka Mukaabya Walugembe
Muteesa l. So in kiganda tradition, there is no Crown Prince, as it is
the case in the West.
After declaring a Move to the Left strategy, UPC Annual Delegates
Conference held at Lugogo Indoor Stadium in 1969 resolved to ban all
opposition parties and UPC became the sole party. In 1970, in a
National Executive Council that was held in Mbale, a constitutional
amendment was adopted where the President of the ruling party, would
automatically become the president of Uganda without passing through a
universal adulthood suffrage.
Another change was for transitional purposes, in case a President
dies, resigns or or is removed, there would be a secret box where a
name of a High Court judge recommended by the President, would be in
charge, until new elections are held. According to the late Gen.Idi
Amin Dada, who doubled as Chief of Defence Forces and Army Chief of
Staff, Obote was considering to recommend his cousin, Akena Adoko,
Director of General Service Unit, whom he was soon to appoint a High
Court judge.
In order to avoid all that, the President of Uganda should remain
directly elected by the people of Uganda as it has been the case since
1996, and provision in Odoki Draft, for a running mate as a Vice
President, which was rejected by Constiteent Assembly, should be
restored, so that if the President dies, resigns or is impeached, the
Vice President completes the term without going into a bye election.
The Sempebwa Report, which also recommended for restoration of
regional governments, and this was entrenched in the constitution in
2005, be operationalized as a quasi federal, as it is the case in
Kenya, South Africa and United Kingdom.
AHMED KATEREGGA MUSAAZI
REGIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY
NRM BUGANDA REGIONAL TASK FORCE

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