POSTCARD FROM MASAKA: MULTIPARTY OPPORTUNITIES AT

UNCLAS KAMPALA 001573 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF, AF/E, DRL, INR; PASS TO USAID E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM EAID UG SUBJECT: POSTCARD FROM MASAKA: MULTIPARTY OPPORTUNITIES AT THE LOCAL LEVEL ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Internal party conflict between national and local NRM officials is an important trend in Uganda's new multiparty system. On August 14, poloffs visited Masaka, a large rural district located southwest of Kampala notable for its diversity of political party representation at both the local and national level. The Resident District Commissioner, a political appointee from the ruling party, says that majority and opposition party representatives are cooperating on priority issues facing the district. This sentiment was generally echoed by members of parliament from the opposition Democratic Party, though conduct by parties during this year's national election remains a sore point. The elected NRM District Chairman reported that the NRM is losing credibility and support in Masaka due an emphasis by national leadership on uniformity of party message, effectively limiting attention to the differing priorities of local constituencies. This tension within the ruling party has the potential to create new political space to be exploited by opposition parties if they are savvy enough to forge cross-party alliances to advance their development agenda. End Summary. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - POLITICAL DIVERSITY IN MASAKA DISTRICT - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶2. (SBU) On August 14, poloffs visited Masaka, a large rural district located southwest of Kampala notable for its diversity of political party representation at both the local and national level. Masaka is a historical stronghold of the opposition Democratic Party (DP),which enjoys significant grassroots support. Under Uganda's recently implemented multiparty system of government, two of the nine MPs from the district are from the DP, while one of the independent MPs is closely aligned with the party. The District Commissioner is also DP. However, the majority of elected seats at the national level still belong to the long-ruling NRM. Under the colonialist system, Masaka, as part of the semi-autonomous Buganda kingdom, enjoyed economic privileges, including tax incentives, to support its highly productive agricultural economy. These privileges are no longer provided for under Uganda's constitution and there is significant interest among the elite of the population in a return to this system of "federo". Candidates for political office, regardless of their party affiliation, usually include a return to federo in their platform. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - DIFFERENT PARTIES, SIMILAR AGENDA - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶3. (SBU) Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Bwambale Bamusede, a political appointee from the NRM party, reported that although coordination under the new system remains a work in progress, representatives from both majority and opposition parties are cooperating on priority issues facing the district. The RDC serves as the President's representative to the district and as chairman of the District Security Committee, which overseas management of all security stakeholders and collects intelligence on various activities in the district. Bamusede reported that while opposition parties often contend that the RDC cannot be impartial, the NRM prioritizes equal treatment by RDCs of all political parties. He described the relationship between the NRM and the opposition in Masaka as lacking sharp divisions and generally harmonious. He noted that his years as a civil servant give him added clout with his opposition peers. ¶4. (SBU) According to Bamusede, elections were generally peaceful and those with concerns have taken their cases to the judiciary. He emphasized the need for greater civic education on multiparty politics in order to discourage the practice of voting along tribal and religious lines and to clarify the roles and responsibilities of elected officials. He stated that fighting rural poverty and improving access to health care education and agriculturally-based economic opportunity are key issues for the people of Masaka and should be prioritized by donors. He dismissed the idea that there is a North-South divide in Uganda, saying that "marginalization is everywhere. We have peace talks on how to divide the national cake, when really there is nothing to share". ¶5. (SBU) The RDC's views on political cooperation in Masaka were generally echoed by representatives from the opposition DP, though conduct by the NRM during this year's national elections and RDC oversight of security forces remain points of contention. Bukoto South MP Mathias Nsubuga, DP District Chairman Ben Bukenya, and DP District Vice Chairman James Musoke expressed similar development goals for the district and noted that while they generally work well with the RDC, the NRM as a party needs to have greater respect for the opposition. Interlocutors complained of corruption and intimidation during the election cycle and called for increased civic education by donors. Nsubuga noted that the NRM performed well in Masaka in the election because as a brand name, NRM is still the only one that resonates in the rural areas. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - RULING PARTY CONFORMITY WEAKENING LOCAL SUPPORT - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶6. (SBU) Internal party conflict between national and local NRM officials may be the bigger story in Uganda's new multiparty system, as indicated by District Chairman Vincent Ssempijja, the top elected district official (also known as the LC5) who also controls financial allocations for the constituency. Ssempijja, who was elected on the NRM ticket with over 180,000 votes, candidly told poloffs that the NRM is losing credibility and support in Masaka due to an emphasis by the national party apparatus on conformity with NRM's messages. Under multipartyism, the NRM is enforcing a "whip" system to ensure the party line is adhered to by MPs. The system categorizes issues facing the caucus in which a "three whip" issue allows for no dissension, a "two whip" issue allows for minor disparity, and a "one whip" issue allows independent voting. This system limits attention and debate on the differing priorities of local constituencies. Ssempijja also called for more civic education, acknowledging that he was elected in Masaka on the old system of individual merit and party name recognition, as opposed to actual voter support for his party's platform. According to Ssempijja, Masaka constituents are unhappy and managing their expectations is "harder when you are in power" and not allowed to deviate from the party line. This is compounded, he said, when the NRM's national leadership makes decisions without the input of the District Commissioner and forwards agenda items in Parliament, which result in unfunded mandates for cash-strapped local districts. - - - - COMMENT - - - - ¶7. (SBU) Party dynamics in Masaka represent a microcosm of multiparty politics and decentralization in Uganda. Tension within the ruling party over national decision-making procedures could create new political space for the opposition at local levels if successfully exploited. The lack of sharp divisions between parties on critical issues such as federo and rural development, along with shared gripes with the ruling party's national structures, create an environment conducive for cooperation outside Kampala. The DP, and other opposition parties, may increasingly serve as an outlet for other astute politicians seeking to get things done for their constituents. Whether or not politicians at the national level will seize the same opportunities experienced as their local counterparts is still highly dependent on the immediate disincentives in the whip system. The NRM's national leadership will need to reconcile its internal divisions or risk losing support among its own local officials and their constituents. BROWNING