Why Blame voters for their right to choice???


Since Uganda became a multiparty dispensation, the struggle of parties has seemingly grown! The sole purpose to transit from Single party politics to multiparty politics was to allow the thriving of democratic competition which is very healthy for any democracy. By and large, one can say that it is evident that Uganda is a multiparty dispensation if they choose to go by the data. I last checked and we have about 29 registered Political parties in Uganda and to most of them, I have never heard about!

If one chooses to go by the data that Uganda has 29 political parties, they would quickly pass if for being the most democratic! However, given all these political parties, Uganda still runs as a single Political dispensation! The NRM has consolidated itself into power for the last 30 years and the "Multi party dispensation has seemingly died off! Of course there are opposition parties that have stood the test of time to challenge the status quo but whether they have been allowed same opportunity to carry out their activities is another story! The political parties have suffered from the worst flue-Democracy deficits which has been exhibited in various forms. The parties have breached their own party rubric, suffocated mentor ship, witch hunted others, black mailed each other to the extent of public disgust!

The recent and on going NRM party primaries have been the worst ever primaries I have witnessed! I hold so much fear because if a party can exhibit such high levels of deficits, then what would happen to the national scene! The internal party democracy drives the national democracy! Once the political parties are in-fighting, party presidents fighting for transport refunds, party delegates beating up their presidents and so much hooliganism then we cant expect better at the national horizon. I am afraid that I now have a very disturbing picture of the 2016 elections but hope that we shall have resolved these messes!

We need to build robust internal democratic principles of political parties to counter any waves that may hit at one given time and once these are absent, we shall be wasting time calling ourselves a democracy! We all aspire for a better Uganda and better continent and I don't know why it is very difficult to work towards this!
If 2016 elections are to succeed well, parties need to re-organize themselves better!!

Michael Aboneka Jr

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Why we should worry about the growing inequality in Uganda

by Michael Aboneka   Uganda continues to grapple with worrying inequalities and regional imbalances.  According to World Bank (2022), half of the population was moderately food insecure and the poorest households were unable to buy food products in the desired amounts. This means that half of our population is a hungry one which can do anything for survival.  In 2021 the Ministry of Finance reported that 28% of Ugandans were poor increasing from 18% prior to COVID-19 era with about two thirds of Uganda losing income and the economy and business still staggers while the gap between the poor and rich widens further because the poor and less privileged are affected adversely proving that  Uganda’s growth is not inclusive. Recently; I saw a number of colleagues expressing their disappointment after some young men stole side mirrors of their cars in broad day light in Kampala and they were left helpless; they couldn’t even run after the thieves. The same state of hopelessness is true to maj
Read more

The US Africa-summit: What is in it for Uganda?

  By Michael Aboneka The US Africa summit, the first of its kind for eight years, following the end of the era of Donald Trump and his America first policy, just concluded. With US President, Joe Biden, deliberately playing a different tune from his predecessor Donald Trump. His was indeed a courting ode, with a promise that the US is "All in on Africa's future”. Even more endearing was the declaration that “Africa belongs at the table in every room — in every room where global challenges are being discussed and in every institution where discussions are taking place” that accompanied the promise that US will support African Union joining the G20 group of large economies as a permanent member.  Biden announced $2 billion in humanitarian aid for Africa to address acute food insecurity, with emphasis that Africa has potential to feed itself and the world and a joke that he, like a poor relative, will visit Africa and spend a long time there. The cheery tone and overt support fro
Read more

The Computer Misuse (Amendment) Bill 2022 cures no mischief

  By Michael Aboneka Jr Hon. Muhammad Nsereko sought leave of Parliament to table an amendment bill to the Computer Misuse Act in February 2022 and has now tabled the bill on the floor of Parliament. In my view, there is nothing new that the new law is seeking to cure and I am waiting to read the Regulatory impact assessment and the justifications thereof beyond public debates.  From the proposed long title of the bill, objectives and the clause on defects in existing law, it is not clear and specific enough of what mischief the bill intends to cure. The amendment seeks to largely protect the right to privacy, prohibition of unlawful access to data and spreading of false information which are already protected by existing legal frameworks such as the Constitution, Children Act, the Human Rights Enforcement Act 2019, Penal Code Act, Data protection and privacy Act 2019 among others. All these provide layers of protection that the bill seeks to do and by large, the amendment will only du
Read more