By Agather Atuhaire How politics defeated financial logic In the run-up to the last presidential and parliamentary elections in 2011, Irish Times reporter Jody Clarke wrote a story under the headline “How to keep winning elections –Uganda style”. It reported on the frustration caused by last-minute demarcation of new electoral …
Read More »Oguttu’s pointless opposition
By Agather Atuhaire How dangerous can confusion between Leader of Opposition and Opposition Chief Whip be? But not one opposition MP followed him out. Only four of the 67 opposition MPs ended up outside with their leader. In fact, even the Opposition Chief Whip, Cecilia Ogwal (Dokolo Woman) who is …
Read More »Kenyatta’s visit clears oil, trade huddles
By Agather Atuhaire President Uhuru Kenyatta and President Yoweri Museveni’s talks during the former’s three-day visit cleared huddles that could make trade between the two countries smoother.The major outcome of the talks was the agreement between the two presidents over the route of the planned oil pipeline expected to cost …
Read More »Electoral reforms
By Agather Atuhaire Activists should not have expected much from Parliament If civil society organisations and the opposition still had any hopes left for electoral reforms, they were this July dashed by the report of Parliament’s Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee on the Constitutional Amendment Bill. The Bill attracted criticism …
Read More »New constituencies:
By Agather Atuhaire Museveni likely to wholly take over 10th parliament When Local Government Minister Adolf Mwesige presented a motion for parliament to approve the creation of 39 new constituencies on July 15, many were shocked that President Museveni ignored public outcry over the bloated parliament which is putting an …
Read More »Chaos in opposition camp
By Agather Atuhaire FDC’s Muntu responds to calls from DP, UPC for him to quit if he cannot offer direction Barely eight months to the next general elections, President Yoweri Museveni opponents should be counting on the leader of the biggest opposition party, retired Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu, to provide …
Read More »When crime fighters fight
By Agather Atuhaire Corruption suspects walk free as government agencies wrangle All is not well among the three agencies charged with fighting crime and corruption in public office in Uganda; the police, the Directorate of Public Prosecution, and the Inspectorate of Government. Following a spate of losses of corruption cases …
Read More »Besigye coming back?
By Agather Atuhaire Pundits are warning that President Yoweri Museveni’s disregard of the people’s voices might lead to a chaotic election or even a boycott. “With these new developments,” said Makerere University don Mwambutsya Ndebesa, “the fate of the elections looks very uncertain.” On the day the Constitutional Amendment Bill …
Read More »Proposed constitutional amendments and why they failed to impress
By Agather Atuhaire After months of outcry from the opposition and Civil Society organisations, the government on April 30 finally tabled the Constitutional Amendment Bill in parliament. While the opposition and civil society had eyes on electoral reforms, the Bill has only one or two clauses about them. The over …
Read More »Does Parliament still matter?
By Agather Atuhaire and Jacky Kemigisa How Museveni’s government has ignored it A debate about why President Yoweri Museveni’s government does not implement parliament resolutions is gaining traction as observers take stock just months towards the end of its 5-year term. The debate comes at a time when the 386-member …
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