Steps to an enduring Federalism

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By C. Opoka-Okumu

Here is a proposal of the steps to be taken to ensure an enduring federalism in Uganda:

1. Open up Political Space, i.e. amend current constitution, completely and unconditionally that political parties organize freely without any restrictions whatsoever.

2. Repeal the Movement Act so that no one is forced legally to belong to the Movement; so that The Movement Party does not have advantage merging its organs with those of the state; so that The Movement Party cease drawing its primary funding from the coffers of the state. There must be absolute equality between all the political parties.

3. Completely restructure the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF), as it is right now an organ and pillar of The Movement and not a national army. The UPDF has at all times been viewed as the personal army of Museveni and a subsidiary organ of The Movement. Uganda needs a national army and not a personal army or army that is owned by a political organization.

4. Establish a Fact Finding National Commission composed of representatives of all political, broad cultural and main religious organizations in Uganda to obtain the views of Ugandans on Federalism and make recommendations to government, which recommendation can be a subject of a free and fair referendum.

The NRM government has resolved to extensively discuss federalism; such a Fact Finding National Commission should better do this.

It is also somehow equivalent to the current Ssempebwa Constitutional Review Commission, which is expected to get peoples' views on, among others, Federalism and make recommendations to government.

5. After the free and fair referendum (which I expect federo to win), establish a Federal Commission composed of persons who broadly reflect the disparate political, social and cultural interests in Uganda to work out the modalities of the federation where all constituent units are equal in power, representation and everything.

The Federal Commission is similar to The Sage, which Dr. Golooba-Mutebi recommended.

6. Establish a National Constitutional Review Commission to draft a new constitution or appropriately amend the existing one.

7. Establish a Federal Committee to overlook the implementation process of federalism.

References:

1. The Role of MPs in the Quest for Federalism
2. Movement Wants Federo System Discussed
3. Constitutional Review Commission

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