On Saturday I listened in to a popular political show called capital gang and in studio was Moses Byaruhanga a presidential advisor, the ruling party‘s secretary general and a candidate standing on the ruling party ticket. The debate varied from the recently held chaotic ruling party primaries to the party celebrating having independent candidates because the usually inept opposition failed to have candidates in those constituencies.
However as the debate wore on an issue emerged which was not on the agenda and this miraculously had them speak there mind openly. The issue was them debating the sweeping election promises made by the incumbents rivals Amama Mbabazi who promised to reinstate term limits within 100 days if elected while Besigye has been promising huge salary increases. Its common on different shows to have different parties discuss the other party’s promises but not in the context where the rival candidates are pictured to be the winners of the election which is usually taboo during these times.
Then all of a sudden the presidential advisor asked where are Mbabazi soldiers in parliament to pass through his policies. He went on to state you need a two thirds majority to pass through a policy emphasising these two thirds have to be supporting you. Of course if that was coming from a common civilian like me it would be understandable but it to come from the ruling party’s top organ smells fear to. Something more that is in spoken of but can be traced in the NRM statements and promises akin to someone hanging on desperately.
After all the macho talk of invisibility is the ruling party finally smelling that they can actually be defeated in an election. That asking about the composition of parliament probably the party is ploting for a post election defeat environment. One in which they can use there large number in parliament to oppose and under mine the proposed policies by the new government should it emerge that they are defeated. Remember the candidate on the ruling party ticket even talked about exercising the parliamentary instrument that enables them to impeach the sitting government which by looking at the numbers in Parliament is possible.
These opinions were not just random opinions of low lieing cadres but top members of the party sub consciously plotting to fail the new government through through blocking policies using there numbers in parliament. I personally don’t think in my lay mans thinking that you need a huge many MPs in Parliament because there is a reason why bills come from the executive to parliament before turning in law and not the other way round. Also these bills have to be sold to members of parliament so as to make objective judgements that benefit the country.
For one party to be sub consciously plotting on how to fail any govt could be tell tell signs that the end could be near. Probably behind the walls where cameras don’t see there is deep seated fear the partys invisibility is on the line. In all the years I have followed elections in Uganda I have not seen a situation where the usually bullish ruling party has written off all candidates as non potential but in this years election the fear is real to the extent they are questioning how the new president of either Mbabazi and Besigye will pass through policies in a parliament they don’t control. Its something new that I have not seen in previous election and I hope its sign the change we all crave for is on the horizon.
nare 