Labour Day Speech 2005

Abstract

My speech at Kololo will be read by H.E. the Vice President, Professor Gilbert Bukenya. I am reading the same speech, at this very moment, in Fort Portal, where I had a long-standing “Meet the People” engagement that we had to push to the Labour Day because of the historic debate and vote in Parliament last Thursday (28.04.05). As many of the National Resistance Movement Members of Parliament as possible had to be in Parliament on Thursday, to ensure that the People’s power is protected against those forces that want to usurp it. Uganda, since 1986, has been a People’s democracy with representative institutions, the apex of which is Parliament. However, the People of Uganda retain authority over the destiny of the country in crucial matters, if necessary, through referenda. It would, for instance, have been unwise to change the Movement political system to allow those not happy with such a harmonious arrangement to find their own political home (mubaleke bagende) without involving the People. Another way of looking at it is to rid the Movement, by opening up the political space, of those that are not happy with unity (kubejjako). The vote on Thursday in Parliament was, therefore, important and historic because the decision will now involve the People.