This week parliament entertained a motion to have MP Francis Zaake lose his position on the parliamentary commission for alleged abuse of deputy Speaker Anita Among.
In a tweet Zaake suggested the deputy speaker was dishonest
and reckless in her comments about him, which he thought were idiotic.
The background to the story is that last year MP Zaake had
claimed torture by state agents, there were pictures of him looking far gone in
hospital. Later in the year he went on
to win a sprint competition during regional inter parliamentary games in Arusha,
Tanzania. The Deputy speaker in one of her comments noted the recovery of MP
Zaake given this evidence, comments which MP Zaake took exception to.
A motion was moved by MP Martin Mapenduzi to have him
ejected from the parliamentary commission, which serves as the administrative
arm of parliament.
But another backstory is that opposition MPs are boycotting house
seatings in protest over the increasing reports of torture of people with
divergent views from government. That move was triggered by the release of
novelist Rukirabasaija Kakwenza a few weeks ago who claimed he had been
tortured in detention and had the scars to show for it.
This means that depending on the speed of the house in
deciding the matter, MP Zaake’s fate may very well be decided by NRM MPs who
more than constitute the quorum to carry the motion, if they so decide.
This is playing simultaneously with opposition MPs trying to
censure security minister Jim Muhwezi to take responsibility for the torture
being meted out by security agents. NRM whip Thomas Tayebwa has ensured the
ruling party MPs have closed ranks behind the Major General and we can expect
that motion will come up empty.
"One of the things we badly need is a credible opposition,
which can hold government to account. This should go beyond heckling the
government in public, to actually having a sword over government’s head to
ensure they behave....
This column has long argued that the seduction of running
for the presidency has ensured the opposition cannot muster serious enough
numbers in parliament to play their effective role.
But it is easy to see why.
It is too much work to try and grow grassroot support than it
is to organize a once every five years run for the presidency. Not to mention a
run for the presidency is sexier and more lucrative than the rolling in the mud
needed to build and sustain local political support.
The opposition will continue to take this class as long as
they don’t learn the lesson.
The opposition argue that they are hampered at every turn in
building grassroot support. That should not come as a surprise. In the world
history there is no group in power that relinquishes its hold without a fight.
"You cannot shame power into good behavior. In order to force
concessions from power you need to build a formidable counterforce and force
power to the negotiating table....
The kings of Europe in some instances had to have their
heads loped off in order for them to make concessions to the unwashed masses.
Even today in better developed democracies the contests for office can be
intense, the difference being that over long years of practice certain power
grabs, like coups, are not an option. But nevertheless those in power will do
anything within the limits of the law to cling to power, while those on the
outside will do anything to get in.
There are no shortcuts. Our opposition have to put building
local support ahead of winning the presidency if they are to be more relevant
to the evolution of democracy in this country.
As it stands now the ruling NRM has 336 of the 529 seats in
the house or just short of the two thirds majority needed to push any law
through. However, the independents many of whom are sympathetic to the movement
are 74.
And over the years while the opposition, which has 109 seats
in the house have seen their numbers rising, the percentages still are in the
NRM’s favour.
"If they are really serious about at the bare minimum, influencing
the politics of this country and at best wrestling power from the NRM they have
to boost their numbers in parliament....
It will be a hard slog but if the evidence before our eyes
is anything to go by – their ineffectiveness in the house, somebody has to come
this realization and commit to pay the price.
Parliamentary walkouts and confronting the security forces
on the street may make is just grandstanding and achieves nothing of any
substance.
But our opposition are intelligent people and they must know
all this, so what are they playing at?
