Change Power Balance in Parliament and Local Councils

And so it came to pass that ‘no change’ prevailed. Face book has reminded me of my post of 16th June 2015 in which I wrote:

Dear face book friends,

I might as well inform you that for me the results of the next presidential election are a foregone conclusion and I really do not want to waste my time discussing them.

What I am interested in are opinions, views, initiatives, which can transform the composition of parliament – such as the decision of H.E. Betty Kamya to focus on re-entering parliament as a Member of Parliament.

So unless it has potential for changing the power balance in parliament – more opposition members in parliament and of a superior quality – am not interested.

A presidential candidate cannot change the power balance in parliament and for me a president with a minority in parliament is totally, well, toothless and will not change anything. So I do not want to waste my time liking their face book pages or discussing their candidature or their fiction presidency, etc.

I am also interested in initiatives that will result in changing the power balance at the grassroots level of LC 1 (village) especially – that is to say the holding of LC 1 elections under the multiparty dispensation.

So now that you know my interests, my dear face book friends, please do not disturb my concentration with invites to like pages of all presidential candidates and do not tag me into discussions of their fictional presidencies… THANK YOU AND MUCH LOVE.

And yes, am still interested in discourse which will change the power balance in Parliament and Local Councils. Sadly, Parliament has become even weaker – with lesser opposition members of parliament (in terms of number and substance), and with more ruling party members of parliament (majority of questionable substance).

Lower local council elections are still yet to be held and so the more than decade long violation of the Constitution continues. The mind boggles as to why many so-called ‘democracy’ advocates and activities remain mum about this gross violation. Read more of my views on this status quo – bad governance – contained in my opinion that was published in the Daily Monitor: “Why are we quiet about local council elections?”

And yes, H. E. Betty Kamya, President of the Uganda Federal Alliance, one of the political parties, lost her election bid to return to Parliament. BUT behold she is now a Government of Uganda Minister appointed by and serving under the ruling party. Yap, I did not see that one coming.

2 responses to “Change Power Balance in Parliament and Local Councils”

  1. We should have kept the 1990 RC system with a national council of elders elected by the various ethnic groups to decide who should be president for the next 4-5 years.

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