Recently I came across a tweet by NUP spokesperson sounding the news of a political marriage in Uganda. Attached to the tweets were photos of the beautiful state house gardens, white tents and the agreement being signed by President Yoweri Museveni and Leader of the Democratic Party (DP), Norbert Mao. After a long career as an opposition politician, Mao’s choice of partner is somewhat disappointing. Although Mao stated that his aim was to construct a metaphorical ladder that will enable the president to gently leave power, restore the rule of law and pursue electoral reform in his capacity as Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, history proves that this is going to be an extremely ambitious construction project.
Mao is not the first DP leader to take up a position in government. Ben Kiwanuka was one of the founding fathers of the Democratic Party (DP)- Uganda’s oldest opposition party and he served as Uganda’s first prime minister. He was then imprisoned in connection to Obote’s overthrow of Kabaka Mutesa in 1969. He was later released by Idi Amin in 1971 when he overthrew Obote in a coup. He was then appointed Chief Justice of Uganda. But following Obote’s invasion of Uganda in 1972, he was arrested by Amin’s soldiers and eventually tortured to death for speaking out against his disregard for the rule of law. Dr Kawanga Ssemwogerere and Maria Mutagamba were also DP politicians who took up government positions. Yet all left government expressing discontent at the state of affairs in the country.
But perhaps Mao could be different. He has a history of collaborating with President Museveni and the NRM government in his various jobs throughout his career. He worked with the government to establish talks with the leader of the rebel insurgent group the Lord’s Resistance Army, Joseph Kony. This eventually brought peace to the previously besieged Northern region of Uganda. He as well, as LCV Chairperson for Gulu Municipality, led a mostly NRM council. Perhaps his history of working with the government will prove useful in his capacity as Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
According to Uganda’s constitution there are no age limits, nor term limits on the presidency. This in part came about by the President paying MPs to amend the constitution in his favour. These representatives who mostly came to power by voter buying and in an electoral system where state machinery is frequently weaponised against their opposition. Museveni’s aim is to wipe out the opposition. In an interview with NTV, he said that he sees the opposition as lost sheep and sees his mission as similar to that of the shepherd in Matthew 18: 10-14, leaving the 99 to bring back the 1. It is unclear how Mao will improve the rule of law and boost Uganda’s human rights records given that his aims may conflict with the wishes of his boss and how he has historically acted.
Mao’s assumption of the role of Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs as well weakens the opposition in Uganda. As part of the agreement between Norbert Mao and President Yoweri Museveni, the nine elected Members of Parliament will have to vote with the ruling NRM caucus in Parliament. As has been shown in the past 15 years, MPs not only have an important say in making legislation but also amending the constitution. In 2005, term limits were scrapped and in 2017 Parliament passed the Constitutional Amendment Bill which removed the age limit on the Presidency. In effect these changes to the constitution have set President Museveni up to be a leader for life. Although the NRM has a large majority in Parliament, the forced alignment of DP MPs with those in the NRM deals another blow to Uganda’s opposition movement.
If we are to learn anything from Uganda’s recent history, it is clear that Mao is going to be fighting an uphill battle in pursuit of his aims. Collaborating with government for a better Uganda sounds nice on paper but the reality is likely to be quite different. Nonetheless the ladder Mao seeks to build is vital for all Ugandans. Despite the overwhelming odds and with little reason to but my desire to see a better Uganda, I hope that somehow he is able to construct the ladder he has set out to.
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