Opinion by David Mafabi
The country is entering an important nodal point in its development – as we approach the 2026 General Elections. We, together with other Patriots, have been reflecting on what we describe as the Central, National and Historical Tasks, today …
Herewith under, we share excerpts from our November 2017 16 Page submission to the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of the Parliament of Uganda – reflective of the reality of the existence of the aforementioned Tasks at that point in time. Such reflection is critically necessary today …
1. INTRODUCTION:
… I am a Citizen of Uganda … I have led a full and most vigorous life – in fundamental political work, in academic and scientific social research work, etc. I have also been privileged to have served in the Public Service of my country …
I make this presentation imbued with the spirit of the duty of a proud Citizen, and in answer to the Constitutional injunction to all Citizens regarding their duties, contained in the National Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy …
2. THE PROBLEMATIC:
… The object of the Constitution (Amendment) (No.2) Bill, 2017 as stated is very clear, and need not detain us.
Our purpose is to most humbly suggest to this Committee, an additional line of inquiry – as you deliberate, and finally prepare your report for submission to the House. That line of inquiry would contribute to a firm and clear philosophical anchor, for a most important piece of legislation.
The additional line of inquiry leads us straight to dealing with a number of critically important questions, which necessarily arise from the aforementioned discussion and debate:
First, what are the objective national historical tasks for Uganda today – in its national and historical evolution?
Second, what are some of the principles that objectively emerge, and have to be followed to ensure the expeditious execution of the national historical tasks?
Third, are law and legality immutable – or do they evolve?
Fourth, would President Yoweri Museveni be a possible beneficiary of the proposed Constitutional Amendment process?
These questions dovetail straight into the Raphael Magyezi Bill. We keep them in mind, as we reflect on our national strategic imperatives for transiting from backwardness to modernity.
3. NATIONAL STRATEGIC IMPERATIVES FOR TRANSITING FROM BACKWARDNESS TO MODERNITY:
… Along the way of identifying our National Strategic Imperatives, a number of elements must be examined.
Firstly, there must be clear consensus on how societies transit from backwardness to modernity …
Secondly, there must be clear consensus on the need for, and means of, resolving the Uganda National Question …
In other words, our journey to first world status, is also our journey to the consolidation of the stable multi-national commonality of the Ugandan people, within a strong and vigorous East African Federation, as part of a rising African people and Pan African Economic Community …
Third, there must be clear consensus on how to deal with the clear lack of interest on questions of ideology on the part of the Ugandan and African political class or elite …
This is potentially harmful if not dangerous, to the healthy development of the process of socio-economic transformation and transiting, over the medium to long term …
Fourth, there must be a consensus on how law develops, how it evolves …
English and French popular history provide important insights here … The development and historical place of two great documents from the two lands makes our point …
Magna Carta Libertatum (Medieval Latin for “the Great Charter of the Liberties”), commonly called Magna Carta (“Great Charter”), was a charter agreed to by King John of England at Runnymede, near Windsor, on 15 June 1215. Lord Denning described it as “the greatest constitutional document of all times – the foundation of the freedom of the individual against the arbitrary authority of the despot”.
Yet, research by even Victorian historians showed that the original 1215 charter had concerned the medieval relationship between the monarch and the barons – rather than the rights of ordinary people!
Law evolves, law mutates – reflecting the evolution and motion of society … It does not fall like manna from heaven.
4. STRATEGIC INSURANCE OF THE AFRICAN PEOPLE:
… Putting in place the strategic political and socio-economic infrastructure for the insurance and survival of the Ugandan and African people, is our central national historical task today. This is the STRATEGIC WHAT. The nature and complexity of the task is what determines WHO executes it, not the other way round.
The WHAT involves:
a). Ensuring continued national strategic leadership which is: ideologically clear; appropriately focused in terms of national development policy, robust and firm;
b). Ensuring further consolidation of Democratic Government, National Defence and Security;
c). Ensuring consolidation of steady and irreversible progress towards deepened integration of the East African Community, as well as complete pacification of the region;
d). Ensuring putting vital physical and economic infrastructure in place, i.e.:
• Ensuring that we get the first barrel of Oil out of the ground, and that the Oil continues flowing;
• Ensuring that the Oil Refinery is constructed, and is working;
• Ensuring that the Oil and Gas Pipeline is constructed, and is working;
• Ensuring that diligent and prudent management of the revenues from Oil and Gas is in place, as well as ensuring their disciplined disbursement to carefully identified strategic priorities, on the road from lower to upper middle-income status, and finally – to first world status;
• Ensuring that construction of Karuma, Ayago and Isimba hydro power stations is completed, and the Budhagali cost of electricity is down; as the entire electricity sector is stabilized, harmonized and rationalized – and consolidation of first steps towards peaceful use of nuclear energy, undertaken;
• Ensuring that National Investment infrastructure, operations and procedures – are harmonized, stabilized, consolidated and their work exponentially accelerated;
• Ensuring the speedy completion of the construction of the 23 Industrial Parks and their full servicing by necessary facilities;
• Ensuring that the necessary hard and soft infrastructure is in place for full e-government;
• Ensuring the urgent construction and operationalization of the Standard Gauge Railway;
The author is
K. David Mafabi
Senior Presidential Advisor/Political Affairs (Special Duties)
State House