As presidential candidates begin their first full week of campaigns, what do ordinary Ugandans want and demand of the man or woman who they will entrust with the duty of leading them for the next five years? Do the candidates’ plans and manifestos actually reflect the needs of the people they aspire to lead?
When the Uganda Governance Monitoring Platform (UGMP) compiled the expectations of more than 80,000 Ugandans who they consulted before producing a Citizen’s Manifesto, which was launched on October 15, they found that they were two-fold; those that develop them at individual level and those that are expected to lead to good governance at national level.
According to the manifesto, at individual level, Ugandans want a leader whose programme will help address the widespread poverty, uplift the agricultural sector, rebuild the health sector so that they can receive basic medical attention, and address the growing unemployment.
At governance level, Ugandans want their leader to restore presidential term limits, institute a moratorium on creation of new administrative units, institute an equitable sharing formula for power and resources and have an all-inclusive policy formulation framework. Ugandans also want their leader to tackle corruption, address environmental degradation and climate change, build sound infrastructure, re-orient and improve education to suit national needs, address the unsustainable growth rate and uplift civic consciousness of the nation.
Commenting on the demands by ordinary Ugandans, Kampala Assistant Bishop, Rev. Dr Zak Niringiye, who is also the Chairperson of the Africa Peer Revision Mechanism (APRM) National Governing Council, said; “The manifesto is a cry for better and accountable leadership. It is also a statement of hope that we must dispel the fear of tomorrow.”
The citizens manifesto is split into four sections; democracy.
The citizens manifesto is split into four sections; democracy.
Advocate democracy
Under democracy, the document calls for review of the constitution to address “unresolved historical questions” such as “governance and emerging issues like the need to restore presidential term limits and reconstitute the Electoral Commission”.
Under democracy, the document calls for review of the constitution to address “unresolved historical questions” such as “governance and emerging issues like the need to restore presidential term limits and reconstitute the Electoral Commission”.
There is also a call for a halt on creation of new districts and establishment of a framework for national reconciliation and healing and work within an all-inclusive framework in terms of policy formulation.
According to the document, Ugandans generally believe that the ever expanding size of administration is a taking a toll on national resources, leading to a “consumer spending phenomenon” as opposed to a “production spending model,” most crucial for a developing economy. President Museveni has often defended the creation of new administrative units, saying they are meant for improving service delivery to the people.
“The districts being created are just in line with the colonial concept of a predator state that was designed to siphon resources from Africa to Europe and federalism is the solution. My colleagues especially in Interparty Cooperation (that fronted FDC’s Dr Kizza Besigye) think Museveni is the problem and are obsessed with dislodging him. I am saying we should work to change the system,” said Uganda Federal Alliance candidate, Betty Kamya, soon after her nomination on Monday.
Ordinary Ugandans also call for an end to “impunity” and demand, in the citizens’ manifesto that the government publishes a policy document on how to handle and take “decisive action against ministers implicated in corruption.” The same call was made for lower levels of government, with the document saying anti-corruption institutions need to be strengthened in addition to empowering and supporting a vibrant civil society.
Fight corruption
On corruption, the citizens’ manifesto is almost a blueprint for all the candidates. However, it will be a hard sell for President Museveni whose government is accused of failing to curb the vice and is seen as condoning, fomenting and institutionalising corruption.
On corruption, the citizens’ manifesto is almost a blueprint for all the candidates. However, it will be a hard sell for President Museveni whose government is accused of failing to curb the vice and is seen as condoning, fomenting and institutionalising corruption.
The national feeling and cry, according to people’s manifesto, is for the state to reclaim control of key economic sectors including agriculture, energy and “decisively address” economic corruption for Ugandans to own their country and register fast development as opposed to growth amid extreme poverty.
On the foreign policy front, the citizens want maintenance and promotion of regional peace, protection of Uganda’s regional and international economic interests, our cultural values and safeguarding against unfair exploitation of national resources by foreign multinationals.
The citizens want Uganda to deliver on its international obligations under treaties, agreement and conventions, an area where Uganda is not currently in the best light. Uganda has severally been embarrassed with threats of withdrawal of voting rights for failure to even pay annual contributions to regional and international bodies.
Ugandans further want national development priorities as articulated in the national development plans followed and also clearly identify and agree on comparative advantages in view of regional integration.
In his assessment of the manifesto, Gulu Archbishop, Rev John Baptist Odama, said, “Ugandans have given a lot of power to their leaders. However, some leaders have used the power to citizens’ disadvantage with no one to question. The Citizens’ Manifesto brings in a new dimension on how to redress the situation.”
The Citizens’ manifesto, however, also looks beyond the February 2011 polls.
“Beyond the elections we are looking at sustained engagement of the leaders we shall have elected. We have prepared what we are calling the Movement for Political Accountability in Uganda (MOPA – U). Under this we have so many activities that will be geared at continuously evaluating the leaders at all levels,” explained UGMP Programme Coordinator, Arthur Larok.
“Beyond the elections we are looking at sustained engagement of the leaders we shall have elected. We have prepared what we are calling the Movement for Political Accountability in Uganda (MOPA – U). Under this we have so many activities that will be geared at continuously evaluating the leaders at all levels,” explained UGMP Programme Coordinator, Arthur Larok.
Budget surgeries
“We are looking at budget surgeries, work plan assessments, scorecards at parliamentary and local government levels and many others. At the end of the five years we can do a final assessment and that we think will form a basis for an informed decision in the subsequent election. And the citizens’ manifesto process begins afresh,” said Mr Larok. Information and National Guidance Minister, Kabakumba Matsiko described the citizens’ manifesto as “a good document.”
“We are looking at budget surgeries, work plan assessments, scorecards at parliamentary and local government levels and many others. At the end of the five years we can do a final assessment and that we think will form a basis for an informed decision in the subsequent election. And the citizens’ manifesto process begins afresh,” said Mr Larok. Information and National Guidance Minister, Kabakumba Matsiko described the citizens’ manifesto as “a good document.”
Government working
“Government is already implementing many of the demands in the Citizens’ Manifesto. Poverty is already being addressed through various programmes like the Plan for Modernisation of Agriculture, Prosperity for All and now the revival of cooperatives. We have also invested heavily in economic infrastructure.
“Government is already implementing many of the demands in the Citizens’ Manifesto. Poverty is already being addressed through various programmes like the Plan for Modernisation of Agriculture, Prosperity for All and now the revival of cooperatives. We have also invested heavily in economic infrastructure.
For corruption, we are strengthening agencies concerned with fighting corruption – the IGG, CID… recently we put in place the anti-corruption court. We shall continue doing more as the economy improves.” However, Prof. Joy Kwesiga, a long-serving educationist, said, “That the moral fibre of contemporary Ugandan society has crumbled is not in dispute. The values, accountability framework and development strategies that form the core of the Citizens Manifesto brings fresh hope, for herein are embedded the essentials for our regeneration.”
Author: Emmanuel Mulondo
Posted Sunday, October 31 2010 at 00:00
Posted Sunday, October 31 2010 at 00:00
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