By Norman Miwambo

20^th June 2011:

Kamya, Lukyamuzi at London federo conference

Uganda Federal Alliance [UFA] party President Beti Kamya and Hon. Ken Lukyamuzi, the Conservative Party [CP] President, clashed at a Federalism a.k.a “Federo” conference in London over Beti Kamya’s constant insistence that President Museveni is not Uganda’s problem.

During the Federo conference which took place at the University of East London – Docklands Compass on Saturday 11^th June, Kamya argued that President Museveni’s mismanagement of the country’s affairs was not the main cause of Uganda’s many problems.  Ken Lukyamuzi a.k.a “Ken The Man” on the other hand begged to differ.

Both Lukyamuzi and Kamya are known to be staunch pro-federalism advocates but the duo turned their guns at each other instead of explaining their federalism preferences or differences with the ruling National Resistance Movement [NRM] and other opposition parties.

In a direct attack on Beti Kamya whose Uganda Federal Alliance party supports federal system of governance, Lukyamuzi said, “…I have not heard about a party in USA named after federalism apart from the federal papers which formed the historical base of the federal theory in what is USA today.  It is dangerous to name a party after a system because when the party does badly, people will think the system is bad”.

When she got up to speak, Kamya, who was seated Lukyamuzi, nearly threw the conference into disarray when she said President Museveni is not Uganda’s problems.  She however went on to explain that:  “…People have been fighting the consequences rather than the causes. People are fighting corruption which is the consequence of bad leadership and forgetting the cause”, Kamya said without mentioning who the bad leader actually is.

On the whole however, most of the ten or so speakers [who included Leader of the Opposition Hon. Nandala Mafabi and FDC Vice President Salaamu Musumba] repeatedly swerved from the Federo question and directed their attacks on President Museveni.  Only Lukyamuzi and the former Prime Minister of Buganda Kingdom Dan Muliika tried to stick to the main subject of the conference.

Hon. Lukyamuzi in particular focused on the issues of the day and argued that “Federalism is the politics of circumstantial consent and the democracy of concordance”. He added that in a federal system of governance, the rights of the minority in society are guaranteed.   He listed USA, Germany, United Arab Emirates, Austria, Nigeria, India and Tanzania as countries where a federal system of governance flourishes and that is why India’s 650 ethnic groups co-exist amicably today.

Lukyamuzi, who is also the Shadow Environment Minister said, “…the quest for Federalism in Uganda is historical and circumstantial.  Uganda is what it is because of its history and geography.  It is a unique nation State with outstanding diversities attached to rich and spectacular cultures, languages, and heritage found nowhere else in Africa. It is only federalism that can address that peculiarity”.

“…The state of Uganda’s economy calls for the creation of a market base attached to economically and politically viable regions – the districts that mushroom like villages are a liability to our economy”, said Lukyamuzi in reference to President Museveni’s many small and unviable districts dotted all over the country.

He further explained that before the abrogation of the federal Constitution, Uganda had the highest per capita income in Sub–Saharan Africa, a very sound GDP, and a sustainable flow of social services shared by every region.  END.  Please login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.