Uganda Federal Alliance led by Betti Olive Kamya has misunderstood the constitution in their quest for a Federal system of governance, Buganda Kingdom says.
Charles Peter Mayiga, the Kingdom spokesperson argues that Article 74 of the 1995 Constitution which Kamya hinges on to hold a federalism referendum has nothing to do with Federal.
The article allows one to hold a referendum through a petition to the Electoral Commission by at least one tenth of the registered voters from each of the constituencies. It also provides for a referendum through a parliamentary resolution supported by more than half of all elected Members of Parliament or through the district councils.
Mayiga says that the attempt to re-introduce federalism through a referendum is a fragile attempt given the hurdles facing the country especially regarding the poorly organized elections and turn up. He says Article 74 was the window left open for Uganda to move from a movement to a multi party system of governance.
He says Kamya needs to carry out extensive sensitisation of the masses who will then demand for it through their Members of Parliament.
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He advises Kamya to use Article 178 regarding regional governments. Clause three of the article states that the districts of the regions of Buganda, Bunyoro, Busoga, Acholi and Lango shall be deemed to have agreed to form regional governments.
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Last week Kamya told URN that her plans to hold a Federal referendum are facing constitutional hurdles since it will require an amendment for a referendum to take place.
Mayiga says Kamya’s methods are all wrong considering the current government has always used underhand methods especially in 1995 and 2005 when the public demanded for a federal system of governance.
He adds that if all 15 original regions of Uganda are empowered, leaders in the central government will have enough time to discuss better policies for the citizens. He states that with regional governors handling regional issues, the President will not have trouble handling every small project around the country.
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Mayiga says it is possible for Uganda to run under both a federal system of governance for regions that want it and a unitary system for those regions that do not want federalism.
He stresses that Uganda’s problems are as a result of bad governance considering that each district has to run to Kampala which is in Buganda for better services.
He argues that decentralization supported by the central government is borrowed power since district leaders’ decisions in their home areas are still interfered with by the central government. But under Federalism there will be a block vote as a policy to focus on the different sectors affecting their regions that need urgent attention.
