By Dennis Otim

11^th Oct 2010

Warned against flawed elections

UPC party president Dr. Olara Otunnu has said as a party, UPC will not accept anymore flawed elections organised by what he called the “Museveni-Kiggundu” Electoral Commission [EC].

In this final part of the interview with Dr. Olara Otunnu conducted for Uganda Correspondent by London based Ugandan Journalist Dr. Vincent Magombe, Otunnu also explains what his “National Social Movement” is all about and also discusses Buganda and its demand for federalism.

Before he tackled the subject of Buganda’s demand for federalism, Dr. Otunnu tried to address the rift that the 1966 crisis created between Buganda and UPC.  He said, what has existed between the two since 1966 is “unnatural” because UPC’s founding roots are in Buganda.

The party, Otunnu said, “…traces its origins to the Uganda National Congress [UNC] led by Ignatius Musazi and contemporary Ganda intelligentsia notably Samwiri Mugwisa, Eridad Muwonge, Swaibu Semakula, Erisa Kironde, Jolly Joe Kiwanuka, Roger Mukasa, Bidandi Ssali, Kintu Musoke, Paulo Muwanga, Musa Kasule, Abu Mayanja, Daudi Iga, Ndugga Musaazi, Paul Ssengendo among others”.

For those reasons, Otunnu said, “…it is important for Buganda and UPC to humbly have dialogue with honesty and courage”. He added that “taking responsibility for our painful past must not hold us back from straining to grasp the future we want.  The UPC and Buganda are two critical historical pillars of national unity and stability on account of which the two cannot afford to continue along a path of a zero-sum game”.

Otunnu said he knows the new UPC leadership is willing and ready to reconstruct a new UPC-Buganda relation on a win-win formula.  In this vision, Otunnu said, “…we want our people to know that it is possible to be a proud patriotic Muganda and a patriotic Ugandan at the same time. The two are not in conflict…UPC does not aspire to suppress diversity but accepts and celebrates it”.

On Buganda’s demand for federalism, Otunnu said although the idea of federalism has been spearheaded by Buganda, it is not a peculiar Buganda issue.  “…You will recall that over 65% of Ugandans who gave their opinion to the Odoki Commission in the 1990s favoured a federal structure of governance but Museveni rode roughshod over the country and imposed a regime constitution in 2005. We support federalism in principle”, the UPC president said.

He said UPC supports federalism because it allows for decisions to be made at the closest proximity to those affected.  The structure respects diversities and makes accountability easy. On the strength of that, Dr. Otunnu said, federalism is therefore not a Buganda issue alone but a national matter. “…it would require a national convention to deliberate on the architecture of a federal Uganda”, Otunnu said.

Addressing a question about the National Social Movement that he launched after pulling his UPC party out of the Inter Party Cooperation, Dr. Otunnu said it is about “positive non-violent resistance” against Museveni’s dictatorship.

By definition, Otunnu said, “…a social movement is a broad term or concept describing a popular citizen’s struggle for a specific political, social or moral objective.  UPC will be part of a national collective of Ugandans from all walks of life campaigning to deliver on the important national project of free and fair elections in 2011”.

The UPC president warned that the choice we face as a people is not between flawed elections and boycott.  “…We believe there is a third and authentic choice: free and fair elections”, Otunnu said.

Otunnu clarified his party’s position on whether or not to participate in the 2011 elections and said “…what we are proposing is not election boycott as many seem to suggest.  What we are saying is that we shall not accept any more flawed elections…UPC and the people of Uganda will mobilise, demand, and create a different reality that will ensure free and fair elections in 2011”.

Otunnu urged Ugandans to be the agents of shaping the destiny of their country.  “…We must draw a line in the sand on this issue.  We must settle the issue of free and fair elections in Uganda once and for all.  I must tell you this:  I have not the slightest doubt in my mind that we shall accomplish this in the year 2011.  We simply must remain steadfast, firm and resolute”, the UPC president ended with confidence.  END.  If it’s Monday, it’s Uganda Correspondent.  Never miss out again!