By Samuel Opio
Butambala Member of Parliament Hon. Muwanga Kivumbi has told president Museveni and the entire ruling government to stop taking Ugandans for granted.
Speaking on Wednesday night while appearing on CBS FM, Kivumbi who was appearing on the talk show together with NRM’s Hon. Abbasi Agaba, DP’s Moses Kasibante, FDC’s Harold Kaija and Jeema’s Aisha Kabanda wondered whether the ruling party thinks that Ugandans are stupid and hopeless to be ruled like their property.
Kivumbi said the tendencies of the President and his team sitting at their ‘temple’ at State House, make dubious decisions without considering the demands of the people and failure to create a platform for peaceful transition of power will onetime mess up this country when Ugandans rise up for their rights.
Kivumbi’s comments follows government’s move to establish a 14 member team to sit on the Constitutional Review Commission to consider various constitutional reforms where its alleged that issues like Age limit and transition of power are not part of the issues to be handled.
The letter dated May 23 to President Museveni by Maj. Gen Kahinda Otafiire, the Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister, recommends the nominees for consideration and among them is the former Attorney General, Prof Khiddu Makubuya who has been recommended to chair the commission deputized by former Speaker of Parliament and retired diplomat Francis Butagira.
The other members include Ms. Lillian Aber, Nusura Tiperu Omar, Kamdi Byonabye Paul Wanyot, Rev Amos Turyahabwe, Dr. Diana Musoke, Dan Wandera Ogalo, Richard Angualia, Charles Elem Ogwal, Martha Katuntu and Kabogozza Musoke
It is said that this committee faces an uphill task both in terms of the work load and implementation of the various possible recommendations. Previous constitutional review commissions chaired by Prof Sempebwa and former Chief Justice Benjamin Odoki have made a number of recommendations, but many have never been implemented despite overwhelming public support.
MP Kivumbi insists that regardless of the fact that president Museveni being at the pivot point of power and authority, he should not forget that Ugandans are much yarning for change therefore should not be forced to accept this when its too late like it has happened to some of his friends.
He added that the issues of democracy, presidential age and term limits were supposed to be given priority but its unfortunate that such an important issue is not indicated anywhere on the issues to be reviewed.
“Ugandans don’t need a review now, we demanded for this before the constitution was amended (raped) but the same government peddling this concocted review gave a deaf ear. They are now bringing this as an avenue to eat money. I want people to know that this NRM government is already weak and has reached a level of bribing people to even attend their events, that’s the step where one can easily identify a regime that is in its evening days but if the people in NRM Can’t see this, then I feel pity for them.” Kivumbi added.
