The newly appointed Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Norbert Mao has appealed to all Members of Parliament from the Democratic Party and other party members that he is ready to sit with them and explain why he agreed to work with President Yoweri Museveni.
The DP president general made the revelation while addressing journalists on Tuesday. He said that working with the government of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) does not mean that he joined the ruling party.
He noted that all members of the opposition must know that Uganda is atbcrossroads and to avoid circumstances which may be regrettable in the future, there is an urgent need for national dialogue and that is why DP decided to take a brilliant move which many saw as betrayal.
“I’m surprised that some members denied that we have never consulted them but I remember telling them that I’m in talks with Mr Museveni and I gave them the reason that Uganda is at a turning point, so if Uganda turns or changes, what will be the position of the DP? Because we have got a ruling party that has fussed itself with the government. No wonder when you are in the government people perceive you as joining NRM. I want to assure Ugandans that I will take that misunderstanding with all kindness and charity because I know it’s a reflection of the reality you see because wherever you go the NRM members behave as if they are in government,” he said.
Mao added that those who are annoyed that he never consulted them one-by-one before signing a cooperation agreement with the ruling party, he will explain himself face to face before them if they give him time.
“The few I told never believed it because they have never seen President Museveni signing agreements with civilians; he’s used to signing with gunmen who shoot at him. When I signed with the DP bloc this noise was not there.”
On the issue that he betrayed the party, Mao encouraged all DP members to be still because their party has been in Uganda’s politics for so long and they know what they are doing.
“We (Democratic Party members) are professors of Opposition. The others are in the kindergarten of Opposition. This cooperation is a new trend for Uganda, but it is not a new trend in the world. Those splitting hairs about what will and won’t work, I welcome criticism. The bazzukulu are the ones who should support this idea because if there is war, they are the ones who are going to fight it. In case the economy is destroyed, they are the ones who will suffer,” he said.
“Being in government means that you no longer have to speak through the press conferences or shout on radios because you have the opportunity to talk to decision-makers. It will be our duty to make recommendations to the President of Uganda. For the DP leaders with good ideas, this is now your time to come up with recommendations. Fortunately, we have a lot of alternative policies on issues of national dialogue, and presidential transition, among others.”
He further explained that the national dialogue is to allure the building blocks of Uganda to come together and craft a new consensus on how Ugandans can live together in peace.
He added; “National dialogue is different from our thing of IPOD where we are accused of taking tea and bribes. This one is national. I don’t think that you can bribe 45 million Ugandans. In Uganda, because of our violent history, we have never seen peaceful change. Therefore, according to the agreement, the Democratic Party now has an opportunity to participate in government on the issues of peace and presidential transition. I urge Ugandans not to mix up a merger, coalition, alliance, and cooperation. Cooperation is on specific areas.”
Mao also said that it is important to offer some fresh advice on how the government can deal with some difficult cases.
“It is true that the current climate is not conducive to dialogue. We cannot wait for a good climate. That is why farmers do irrigation. You do whatever you can so that the crops don’t die.”
Last week, Mao made a move that surprised everyone when he signed a cooperation agreement with President Museveni who also doubles as the National Chairman of the NRM. According to DP Secretary General Gerald Siranda, both parties agreed to work together for a better Uganda.
In the same week, Mao was given a ministerial post and was approved by Parliament.
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