NRM caucus exploits Parliament, says ex-MP

The former Member of Parliament for Ntungamo Municipality, Mr Gerald Karuhanga has urged the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) to start managing Ugandan resources in a way that benefits all citizens.

Mr Karuhanga noted that on several occasions, the executive has been abusing other arms of government to achieve their interests that are not necessarily those meant to benefit all Ugandans. 

“The commonplace that is exploited is parliament through the NRM caucus. There is a Parliament within a Parliament because they (NRM) have the numbers. There are situations where they agree on something as an entire Parliament because it is in the interests of Ugandans. But then, an NRM caucus meeting is called for (by the President) to discuss against what was agreed upon in the bigger Parliament. The government and NRM must understand that Uganda is not a private enterprise,” Karuhanga said.

Karuhanga made the remarks while giving a lecture on good governance, constitutionalism and the rule of law, human rights, and access to justice to participants at the Uganda Democracy Academy in Kalangala District.
 
From an administrative point of view, Mr Karuhanga, who is also the former youth Member of Parliament for Western Uganda advised the government to stop creating more administrative units, a vice he says takes a toll on the national budget.    
 
“There is a lot of political gerrymandering and it is not in the interest of Ugandans. All that citizens want are services, functional education institutions, hospitals, and stable power to establish enterprises. Sadly, the government focuses more on what entrenches and retains the regime in power as opposed to meeting the needs of Ugandans yet the government derives its mandate from the people,” Karuhanga added.

While making her presentation about nationalism, Pan-Africanism and agenda 2063, regional integration and geopolitics, Ms Beatrice Kiraso, the former Member of Parliament for Kabarole District urged the participants to love their country and fight ethnic nationalism to prevent further division in the country.
“If you are a nationalist, you cannot love your political party more than your country. Your country comes first and other things follow,” Kiraso said.

Primus Bahiigi Atukwase, the Country Director of the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) said the purpose of the democracy academy is to strengthen the democratic culture and values among young leaders aged 18 to 35 from different political parties and establishing a platform for cross-party learning, dialogue and co-existence to promote democracy among future leaders.