Museveni fumes over Ugandan court ruling on political parties

KAMPALA – Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni has dismissed as “totally unacceptable” a constitutional court ruling that called into question the legality of the east African country’s de facto ban on political parties.

“The government will not allow any authority, including the courts, to usurp the powers of the people,” Museveni said in a televised address late Sunday. On Friday, the constitutional court ruled that a law adopted in 2000, which paved the way for a referendum the same year that prolonged the no-party or so-called “Movement” system of government, was null and void, because it was rushed through parliament without the usual legislative procedures.”It is totally unacceptable that anyone should try to reverse this (referundum) exercise.You can play with any other thing but not this one,” Museveni said.”That is a no-go area for any authority other than the people themselves,” he added.”For now, the government lawyers are studying the ruling and shall take appropriate legal redress,” he added.Museveni said the government will go ahead with a referundum planned for next year, even though the court ruled no such vote could take place as the law stands.In Uganda political parties are allowed to exist in name but are banned from carrying out typical activities such as fielding candidates in elections.Only the “Movement”, an entity that in theory includes all Ugandans and is led by Museveni, is allowed to do so, leading to charges that Uganda is a one-party state and to a prolonged legal battle by the opposition.Opposition lawyers said Museveni’s disregard of the court ruling was dangerous.”The president seems to have declared a coup because what he is saying is ultra vires to (beyond the powers of) the constitution,” Erias Lukwago, who represented opposition leader Paul Ssemogerere in court, told AFP.- Nampa-AFPOn Friday, the constitutional court ruled that a law adopted in 2000, which paved the way for a referendum the same year that prolonged the no-party or so-called “Movement” system of government, was null and void, because it was rushed through parliament without the usual legislative procedures.”It is totally unacceptable that anyone should try to reverse this (referundum) exercise.You can play with any other thing but not this one,” Museveni said.”That is a no-go area for any authority other than the people themselves,” he added.”For now, the government lawyers are studying the ruling and shall take appropriate legal redress,” he added.Museveni said the government will go ahead with a referundum planned for next year, even though the court ruled no such vote could take place as the law stands.In Uganda political parties are allowed to exist in name but are banned from carrying out typical activities such as fielding candidates in elections.Only the “Movement”, an entity that in theory includes all Ugandans and is led by Museveni, is allowed to do so, leading to charges that Uganda is a one-party state and to a prolonged legal battle by the opposition.Opposition lawyers said Museveni’s disregard of the court ruling was dangerous.”The president seems to have declared a coup because what he is saying is ultra vires to (beyond the powers of) the constitution,” Erias Lukwago, who represented opposition leader Paul Ssemogerere in court, told AFP.- Nampa-AFP