By George Bukenya
The outspoken former Minister who is also proponent of change, Dr.Miria Matembe says that the political and economic challenges Uganda is facing originate from the failure to adhere to what the citizens wanted as regarding to what extent the president should stay in power.
She said that while gathering views from citizens in the constitution making process, the majority of Ugandans supported the enshrining of the 5 year two term limits so as to always have a change of government peacefully.
While addressing reporters at Alliance for National Transformation Party offices in Bukoto, Matembe said that as she traversed the country people where very much concerned about leaders who don’t want to leave power peacefully.
“The major problem that perturbed Ugandans when we were in the constitution making process was to build Uganda not basing on colonial system, having citizens’ ideals and solution to leaders who don’t want to leave power peacefully”, “They proposed to have term limits for the office of the president.” Dr. Matembe said.
She further said liberal democracy demands for alternatives, and Uganda’s problem is not the many political parties in the country or the government, real genuine elections that can bring government that with respect the power of people enshrined in the constitution
Dr. Matembe said that moral decay starts from families were children see their parents stealing from institutions and government and take it to be normal and when they get jobs they also follow suit.
“Opposition may be government tomorrow military shouldn’t fight and kill its members and those alternative governments should stop being greedy to bought“, ‘’Ugandans should perceive why do you accept to be bought.’’
She urged Ugandans to wipe out from them the fear and take on government for the wrongs its committing because they have God on their side like like the motto says ” For God and my Country”.
Constitutional Lawyer Ogola says that when the 1995 constitution was made and gazette, there was an attempt to move away from the past and president Museveni said this was a national consensus by the Ugandans themselves.
Ogola said that after sometime he turned around and changed the will of Ugandans yet certain principles that were put in the constitution would help the country run away from the past bad situations like persecution of those opposing the government, leaders who don’t want to leave power peacefully and we have not leaved to such principles.
“Article one in our supreme law talks about the sovereignty of people, were they are given powers to have the last say on any contentious issue that is affecting them while the second one asserts for the rule of law for instance the traffic law should catch every one regardless of status in community, independence of judicially but we have not leaved up to this.’’ Ogala said
He further said; “ we need now a reset of the agenda by reforming the supreme body of laws because the existing one is going to make all of us suffer the same consequences whether NRM or opposition’’
He said that the country should be put above these political differences and there must be a common good Ugandans are striving to achieve so as to push their country forward.