Repeatedly, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni cannot help himself. He just have to throw someone else under the bus. He is riding the bus, put up all the protocols for the bus, he has made the legislation and even made the entire legal framework since 1986 and still he complains about the judiciary. It is as if the man forgets his place and that his own role as the sign-offs of laws, the ones that put them through Parliament is himself.
How stupid does Museveni think people are? That should be an important question at this point, because he always blame others for his short-comings, if it wasn’t him; it was the British, the Obote’s and the Amin’s, but never the high and mighty Museveni. No, that cannot happen, he is perfection and the greatest ever gracing the blue planet of ours.
“But in a statement issued on Monday, Museveni, who is in South Africa for the BRICS Summit, said the judges fell short of understanding the importance of a long term for the elected leaders but concentrated on theatrics. “Unfortunately, our judges in Uganda spend more time on form and not substance, on procedure and not substance,” said Museveni. “My freedom fighter’s sense of justice, in this matter (the age limit ruling) focuses more on the convenience of 7 years rather than 5 years. With the 5 years, a lot of time is spent on electioneering and less time on development; the first two years settling in, the third year some work in the constituency and, then, by the 4th year, electioneering again,” he emphasised. Museveni said, in the end, however, “the judges are not the ones in charge of the country.” He stressed that, “If the NRM MPs follow my guidelines and bond closely with the people, through wealth and job creation, we can, together with the people, make the necessary Constitutional reforms, judges or no judges.” The President said the Constitution should “facilitate the modernization of Uganda and the economic and political integration of Africa for the survival of the people of Africa as free people, not just the theatre of democracy of form without addressing substance.” (Kim Aine – ‘Museveni on Age Limit Ruling: Judges are not in Charge of Uganda’ 30.07.2018, link: https://chimpreports.com/museveni-on-age-limit-ruling-judges-are-not-in-charge-of-uganda/).
He is blaming the judges for stopping the extension of the time of MPs, even if the legal framework doesn’t abide to it. Meaning, that if the President really cared about this and about the laws. He would ensure they were passed properly, even if I have a hard time believing his blast of them. Since, the same laws that ensured the passing of the abolishment of age limit, didn’t need to be fulfilled when concerning him. However, the laws was applied when concerning MPs, that was the need for a referendum and also more public consultations, not just rubberstamping the law and call-it a day.
The judiciary have their place, as they are following the rules of law put in front of them and abide by the set of framework the politicians put together in Parliament. As the pass the laws, it is not like the judges makes these laws and orders. Not in theory, therefore, the whole blasting of them is just weird. When the one law applied to MPs and their extension, but not to the President. He should be more careful with his wording, because why didn’t the same laws apply to him and with the consultation of the extension of his time in office?
Why?
Because the judges are appointed by him and they are working for him, they don’ won’t to bite the hand that feeds them. The key thing out of this was: “follow my Guidelines”, meaning, his words is law and the way forward. There are nothing else to state on the matter. Museveni have the guidelines and the rest have to be in submission and follow, there are no but, if’s or what. It is just follow me and than you can rest assure. That is it. Peace.
MinBane 