Adupa on TCA’s public criticisms: ‘Ugandans are not used to tough thinking’

TCA seeks to amend the Constitution and have the president elected by the Members of Parliament.

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Oyam – February 23, 2022: Ugandans may soon see its Constitution amended one more time in less than seven years after a group belonging to the ruling (NRM) party members have started discussions to “touch it.”

Transformers Cadres Association(TCA) is a group of NRM politicians who lost in the 2021 general elections. Some lost in their quest to carry their party flags in the main elections.

The group, with a membership of over 1,000 people now want the country’s president elected by Parliament and District Councils.

This proposal, including a ban on the commercialisation of politics, will see more intense debates in the coming months.

So far, the TCA’s proposals have received wider criticisms from both the locals, political pundits, including the NRM leaders.

On Wednesday, TND News Milton Emmy Akwam asked Adupa Felix Ongwech, the president of TCA who said once their proposals come to pass, Uganda will believe in them.

On why he thinks there is a negative perception of the TCA and its entire proposals.

“Well, Ugandans are not used to tough thinking, they are used to shouting and they will shout, make noise – do whatever it takes for them to make noise but at the end of the day those who have got the strongest opinions and ideas normally take the day.”

“I will take you back to Raphael Magyezi’s Bill. When he first came out with his proposal to amend the Constitution that removed the presidential age limit from the Constitution people made a lot of noise. The opposition made a lot of noise, even some Members of the NRM, including the national chairman. The national chairman came out and said he thinks Magyezi is a very ‘idle MP’, even wondered why the people of Igara East would bring such an MP to Parliament who is too idle to bring such kind of a Bill.”

“There was too much resistance on Mageyzi but in the end, he persuaded both the NRM MPs who were under the then Government Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa. The national chairman was persuaded and said, ‘if it’s the will of the people you go and consult’.”

According to Adupa, that is why the famous shs20m consultation allowances were given to each MP. “And eventually Magyezi succeeded above all storms, chaos, and talks,” he said, adding, “That was not the first Bill debated and rejected. The 2005 presidential term limit brought a lot of chaos. They rejected it with all the strongest terms possible but in the end, the winner took the lead.”

On if he’s scared of anything and continued public criticisms.

“…I am not scared that this one will not see the light. Our duty and responsibility as Ugandans are to propose how we need to be governed. This Constitution of 1995 does not have the interest of someone who was born in the early 2000s who should be 21 or 22 years old now.”

On adult suffrage elections

“We have seen adult suffrage elections for the last 35 years have not yielded any fruits apart from causing chaos, killing innocent civilians (when it comes to presidential and parliamentary elections).”

“Have we thought of those who are killed during elections?”

“TCA has come with a solution: if there has been chaos in the presidential election, can we now bring the election of the president to a small number of people where there will be no too much violence. If there is going to be chaos, they are standard members of the society – let them fight there. Organise the presidential election in Kololo – let them go and fight there.”

“The opposition has been saying we won, we won, they rigged us; the electoral commission of Uganda is not credible enough to organise a transparent, free and fair election. Okay. If you have been winning and they rigged you, let us go back to this manageable number where the registered voters are known.”

On the relationship between TCA and the entire NRM family, and if there is a consensus

“I told you before that when Raphael Magyezi brought his Bill there was no consensus. It took time for Magyezi to persuade, to sell his ideas and they bought it. We are going to persuade them and make them understand why we need this proposal to sail through. So, there’s no problem about that, we shall persuade them.”

“Everybody believes that if they are not the initiators of the idea they will be criticising it. This voting system (adult suffrage) was not there. Did we have rights before the promulgation of the 1995 Constitution? DP rejected adult suffrage because they would send more MPs to the parliament. UPC also rejected it and that is how Obote came to power but they were forced that it’s high time for people to elect their leaders and that’s why rights to vote came in the Constituent Assembly.”

On commercialisation of politics and how the proposed changes will cause impacts.

“In the proposed amendment, we are talking about regulating spending during elections. We want to regulate spending in a way that if you want to be a member of parliament there is a nut to be put in place. If the law says you are not supposed to spend more than shs200m in parliamentary elections and you go ahead and keep bribing voters and evidence is obtained, there will be an audit. If found guilty of voter bribery, you are banned from political activities for 5 years or 10 years.”

On if this particular clause (proposal on audit) will be bought?

“If Ugandans are honest with themselves they must accept it. And the reason why people are complaining you are taking our voting rights is that during that time is when they also eat.”

“Voters should start rejecting money first if they are honest.”

About the current rise in the prices of basic commodities across the country

“It’s because voters accepted bribes from politicians. You don’t remember you took shs300,000 per village from the president?” It’s payback time. Every year after the election there is inflation and locals need not cry that there is an increase in the prices of commodities.”

“The day you cast your vote your rights end there and you don’t have a right to declare who wins.”

If this is not a plot to keep the NRM in power for long?

“This will make the political parties strengthen their capacities at the grassroots level. It’s the aspirations and desires of every political party to keep power and be in power. When the NUP comes to power will they leave it? Why has CCM (of Tanzania) been in power from the time of Julius Nyerere up to now? Why has ZANU-PF retained power even after the death of Robert Mugabe? Each political party desires to consolidate power, remain in power so NRM will not be exceptional. We want to keep our power. You want us to wake up in the morning and say NRM has led Uganda enough now we can give it to FDC. Really? You must be joking.”

What do you make of the recent statement by the NRM secretary general over your proposals?

“Don’t you see that after every election they are the same people talking, wanting to keep money at the expense of innocent Ugandans? After every election, they are raising apartments in Kisassi. They are thinking about money because this is going to block their budget.”

“Last year, the party spent over shs 120 billion. If you were the Secretary-General and they wanted to remove that billion would you be happy?”