Author: Asuman Bisiika. PHOTO/FILE
The People Front for Freedom (PFF) is a new political formation associated with Dr Kizza Besigye and what is now known as FDC-Katonga Group.
This group recently applied to reserve a name of their party. But the Electoral Commission has been accused of manifesting some reluctance to register the party. Mbu they are asking many funny questions. Some Ugandans have argued against the formation of new political parties.
These Ugandans call on all opposition parties to form a grand coalition to challenge Museveni. Indeed countries with a de facto two-party system have changed their governments more often than countries with multiple opposition parties. Between 1990 and 2010, Africa had more than 40 peaceful changes of government through electoral processes.
The opposition won in 16 elections in 13 countries. In all the 16 elections where the opposition won, they (opposition) had rallied (or coalesced) around one group or platform or candidate. Cases where a de facto opposition coalition won elections abound. Niger in March 1993; Burundi in June 1993; Senegal in March 2000 and Kenya in December 2002. Opposition candidates also won twice in both Cape Verde (1991 and 2001) and Ghana (2000 and 2008) and once in Sierra Leone (2007).
Failure of opposition forces to unite cost them victory in Gabon (the August 30, 2009 poll returned the ruling partys Mr Aly Bongo with 41.7 percent. Each of his two main rivals running as independent candidates got 25 percent). In 2001 presidential elections in Zambia, the ruling MMDs candidate Levy Mwanawassa was challenged by 10 opposition candidates who failed (or refused) to rally behind UNIP's Anderson Mazoka, the most serious challenger among them.
Mr Mwanawassa won the presidency with a mere 29.15 percent percent, against Mazokas 27.20 percent. The third candidate got 13.1 percent; the fourth one 10.12 percent and the fifth one garnered 8.9 percent.All this points to one thing: a two-party system offers the opposition the best chance to successfully challenge the incumbent. This two-party system does not have to be a de jure one though; it could just be a situation where two (of the many) political parties (or grand coalitions) effectively control more than 80 percent of parliamentary seats or votes.
This though is not an argument against the formation of political parties. That is why I called EC’s spokesperson Julius Mucunguzi about why his people were frustrating the registration process of “Besigye’s new party”? Political parties harness socio-political frustrations into some kind of civic energy. Otherwise, without these parties, the fear of youthful energy going into armed rebellion or crime becomes real. It is unlikely that a young PFF member vying for a district council seat would indulge in crime; for the prospect of a council seat offers him or her some kind of hope and purpose.
That is why I told Mr Mucunguzi to tell his people to immediately facilitate and enable the registration “our” PPF.Mr Mucunguzi explained that no one has refused to register PFF (or any other political party). “Our engagement with the sponsors of PFF is very administrative and procedural. And by the way, PFF did not come to register.
They applied for the reservation of the name “People Front for Freedom”. After the name reservation, they will start the process of formal registration and thereafter recruitment. The process is similar to that of registering a business company. You reserve a name and then register,” Mucunguzi told me. I challenged him: but public perception is against you. The public sees an unseen hand behind the EC’s demands for change-here-change-there.
His response: “Asuman, public perception may be against us, but the law and our administrative procedure is on our side”. All in all, the EC should immediately register Dr Besigyes new party.
Mr Bisiika is the executive editor of the East African Flagpost. [email protected]
