By George Murumba

23^rd May 2011:

"The Purple Rain Protests" in Apartheid South Africa

In a most dramatic twist of events, the ruling NRM’s own Deputy Spokesperson Mr. Ofwono Opondo has fired the first mutinous shot at his boss Yoweri Museveni’s “draconian” proposals to amend the constitution of Uganda in order to scrap the right to bail for suspects accused of committing some crimes and or offences.

Writing in the government owned newspaper The New Vision, Mr. Ofwono Opondo, in an audacious and jaw dropping departure from the usual ‘sycophancy’ that he has been variously accused of, said President Museveni’s latest proposals to amend the constitution would set Uganda back towards Apartheid.

“…In fact, this proposal sets Uganda back towards apartheid South Africa and colonialism during which those systems used draconian laws in the name of imposing “law and order”, arrested, sentenced and jailed people to very long terms to stifle African and particularly black consciousness, resistance, expression, freedom and liberation”, Ofwono Opondo warned.

Museveni’s proposals will create repression

He also advised the very government that he serves to avoid passing laws in bad faith that could create repression.  “…NRM should not legislate with bad faith whose purpose is to defeat justice as it is an antithesis to NRM’s own fundamental principles as a revolutionary and liberation organisation. It should be rejected, and the new parliament must rise to stop manoeuvres that could create repression”, Mr. Opondo said.

Is Ofwono Opondo now taking his cue from FDC?

Mr. Ofwono Opondo’s concerns about [his boss] President Museveni’s move to set Uganda “…back towards apartheid South Africa and colonialism” were first raised in two opinion articles [See: Museveni is ruling Ugandans with Apartheid laws and Sharpeville-like killings will spark a new armed struggle] by the government’s arch critic and FDC International Envoy to the UK and European Union Mr. Sam Akaki.

Mr. Akaki’s boss, and FDC Party President Dr. Kizza Besigye, also attacked and likened Museveni’s proposals to deny Ugandans the right to be released on bail as a manifestation of an apartheid regime.  “…It is more demonstration of a regime that is making repression an official policy like Apartheid in South Africa”, Dr. Besigye said.

High Priest of justice joins fight against injustice

Retired Supreme Court Judge Justice George Kanyeihamba, who once served in Museveni’s government, also threw his weight behind what is clearly a growing opposition to Museveni’s draconian proposals.  “…Such a measure, if enacted into law, would be the most notorious act of despotism and would go in history as nothing less than a constitutional rape”, Justice Kanyeihamba said.

Despite his concerns, Ofwono Opondo also believes that Museveni’s desire to end obvious opposition political impunity and hooliganism in an attempt to make Uganda “ungovernable” is understandable…because some political groups are trying to exploit the loopholes.

In the final analysis however, Ofwono Opondo said he still believes that “…Museveni’s proposal would in effect curtail freedoms and individual liberties, bridle and constrain judicial independence, and the net result could be the erosion of constitutionalism and democracy which are both a negation of NRM’s fundamental principles of national liberation as a revolutionary organisation”.

Museveni will be defeated like Apartheid

Mr. Ofwono Opondo also appeared to be warning his boss President Yoweri Museveni, who has just started a new five year term in office after his controversial election “victory” in February, that should he push ahead with his proposals, he will ultimately be defeated by the oppressed people of Uganda.

“…As a good historian, Museveni knows that while the apartheid constitution, state, and laws delayed black independence, they did stop [it] as Africans went underground and with time they emerged, confronted, and defeated apartheid in the open”, Opondo warned his boss.  END.  Please login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.