The Uganda government has proposed to introduce another draconian law ahead of the 2011 general elections.

By Steven Fredrick Magomu, The Uganda Eye

The bill, criticised as seeking to stifle the opposition and civil rights activists, if pass in its entirety, will force anyone seeking for public assembly or demonstration to seek clearance from the inspector general of police.

The main opposition political parties have had street running battles with police in the recent years, with many of their supporters jailed.

However, the bill has already generated resistance from members of the public before it is tabled before Cabinet and Parliament. The bill, which has been named Public Order Management Bill, is being tabled amidst growing political tensions in the country ahead of next years general elections.

Human rights organisations condemned governments intension to introduce such a bill at this time. They say this bill, if passed, gags the freedoms of assembly, expression and speech.

Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) spokesman Wafula Oguttu says his partys legal team is working on a draft petition to challenge the bill in the Constitutional Court as soon as it is tabled before Parliament.

Oguttu told journalist at the party headquarters recently that the bill is meant to stifle civil liberties, especially the right of Ugandans to peacefully assemble. This bill contravenes the constitution of Uganda which stands for freedom of assembly and freedom of expression; unless they amend the constitution, this bill cannot be passed by parliament Oguttu said.

Speaking to The Uganda Eye, Mr Abbas Wetaka, a Makerere University don, described the move as an indicator of a failing state. When a state is failing, they will start introducing all types of draconian laws to manage the society, and what we are seeing with the NRM regime is exactly that.