Kampala
9/11/07
 
OPPOSITION PARTIES IN UGANDA IN THREAT TO BOY-COTT EU-SPONSORED WORKSHOP.

By Leo Odera Omolo
 
Leaders of the five opposition political parties represented in the Ugandan Parliament on Wednesday this week announced a last minute withdrawal from the European Union-sponsored workshop on electoral reforms and strengthening of democracy in the country.
 
The leader of the FDC party Prof. Morris Ogenga Latigo said in a statement, ‘’we do not want a process that is to address matters of very serious concerns to be used for political manipulation.’’
 
Prof Ogenga Latigo said FDC, UPC, CP and Jeema pulled out in protest at the speaker of Parliament Edward Ssekandi’s surprise and ‘’arbitrary inclusion’’ of non-starter political parties that registered, but never participated in last year’s general election.
 
The two-day workshop was scheduled to open at Munyonyo Resort Hotel on Thursday was expected to provide a platform for the party leaders to brainstorm on pertinent institutional and regulatory modifications that would buoy multi-party dispensation and plug loopholes that have perennially resulted in electoral fraud.
 
Prof Latigo said the main objective of the seminar was to spur activism of political parties with ‘’suspect motives’’
 
Following a meeting held on Wednesday and chaired by Mr. Chapa Karuhunga of the National Democratic Party (NDP), the main opposition parties wrote to parliament speaker Mr. Ssekandi and Mr. Vincent de Visscher, th EU Head of delegation in Uganda saying they would only attend the seminar if other political parties-without members in parliament – attended as ‘’observers’’ but not as participants.
 
The speaker responded promptly by saying that although he had not received the letter referenced, the withdrawal of the parties will be inconsequential since the matters to be discussed hinge on the future reforms and not the past political engagements.
 
The conference will go on as planned’’ said Mr. Ssekandi.
 
Ends.
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com