UPC backs Kabaka for political power
By Evelyn Lirri
Feb 20, 2004

KAMPALA - The Uganda Peoples Congress has supported
Kabaka Mutebi's demand for real authority. The UPC
Presidential Policy Commission Chairman, Dr James
Rwanyarare, told reporters on Wednesday that the
Kabaka's cry exposed the flaws in the decentralisation
system introduced by the Movement government.

"When early this week, the Kabaka of Buganda decried his
being king without power in his kingdom, it justified UPC's
rejection of decentralisation where small non-viable units
were created, only dependent on funding from the central
government," Rwanyarare said.

He said UPC has always advocated large, viable federal
states such as Buganda with powers delegated to them by
law....

However, the current Constitution requires traditional
leaders to remain only cultural heads without political
power, which Buganda has strongly opposed.

Rwanyarare said that the Kabaka's demand for political
power as a traditional ruler is in line with the UPC
position of 1962 when there was a federal system of
government with kings having authority.

He said that the much-criticised 1967 constitution under
Obote did not remove the federal status for Buganda.

Obote is the president of UPC.


- Monitor -