Self-government for Uganda: an African State Manifesto
.jpg)
SELF-GOVERNMENT FOR UGANDA:
AN AFRICAN STATE
MANIFESTO
BY
The Progressive Party
Published by the Central Committee of the Excutive.
Wake up Uganda,
The night's gone,
The drum is calling:
"Ssaagala Agalamidde"★
★No more slumbers
☆All for the good of Uganda.
A political party working for:—
1. Self-government for Uganda as an African state under a federal government.
2. Progress for the African in education, health and social justice.
3. Economic emancipation of the African. When King Mutesa I was asking the explorer H. M. Stanley to send him missionaries to teach him and his people, he said that he was in darkness and that he was like a blind man and what he needed most was to get light.
It was that light which King Mutesa I invited which became a torch to Uganda. But Uganda will not be contented with only a torch light; she needs the full lumination from within. It is the greatest aim of the Progressive Party to see that Uganda gets the full light:
The Light of knowledge;
The Light of trade;
The Light of progress.
OUR AIM
Anyone who bothers to read what follows in this memorandum, will find that we have no other objective except to fulfil that longing which Mutesa I had for his country, - full development.
NEVER MEANT SURRENDER OF SOVEREIGNTY
It is now 80 years since Mutesa I said those words. But Buganda had existed for generations long before him as a sovereign state. It had never known any foreign rule, and when Mutesa I invited missionaries he never realised that in the end it would mean surrender of his and his neighbours sovereignty. It was left to his descendants to discover rather too late that they were under colonial rule.
Mutesa I asked for light for a sovereign state. No state can attain the full light under a foreign domination. Consequently, unless we overthrow colonialism first, we can never hope to comprehend that light fully. That is why the P.P. is determined to lead Uganda to self-government at an early date.
BROAD POLICY
In the pages that follow we give broad policy and not the detailed working plans. The plans for items of policy are known, but will not be revealed until an appropriate moment.
E. M. K. MULIRA.
President.
However, to achieve Self-government the Progressive Party requires your full support- the very active support of every man, woman and child in Uganda. With the co-operation of everybody this Party will remove the burden of colonial rule, throw off foreign economic exploitation and replace them with the Government of the people by the people for the people.
Therefore, the people of Uganda must come along now with the Progressive Party into freedom, liberty and democratic Self- Government.
When a country is not free its people cannot plan their economic, political nor social life. The P.P. demands Self-government for Uganda so that we can plan our Economic development, Social Services and the People's general welfare. Here are the elements of our plan under a Self-governing Uganda.
1. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
(i) FARMERS :-
Farming is Uganda's most important Industry. It will be so for a long time to come. The P.P. Government will, therefore, encourage and help the farmer to sell his crop on the open world market where he will receive higher prices. As an immediate measure, we will demand elected representatives on the Marketing Boards before they are abolished and some under-studies to the Commissioner on Special Duty who will accompany him wherever he goes to negotiate prices etc. With more money the farmer will be able to purchase agricultural machinery and so produce even more food and other crops for Uganda and the world markets. The farmer will be encouraged to grow more coffee, cotton, tea, mangoes, tobacco, pyrethrum, maize, millet,nuts,matoke, potatoes, wheat, rice, oranges, sugar-canes, cocoa and any other crops that the soil and climate of Uganda can produce.
In any bad years in which world prices drop the P.P. Government will subsidize the farmer on the basis of his total product. The internal market will be so organized that wherever the food producer may be, he will be helped to find a market for his crops and he will sell his product at a profit and the consumer will buy at a reasonably low price.
This policy will place Uganda farmers among the world's biggest exporters of Agricultural products. In addition, the P.P. Government will arrange for the internal and foreign marketing
(ii) MINERS:- The minerals of Uganda are lying idle and unexploited because our miners do not have money or equipment enough to go ahead with their work. The P.P. plans to lend money and mining machinery to all those miners whose mines are promising to enable them to produce the utmost that our country can of minerals.
(iii) BUSINESSMEN:- For the Shop-keeper, Garage owner and Engineer, Building Contractor, etc., the P.P. has very good news. Under Self-government, the P.P. will provide money for loans to the businessman to enable him to expand his business. Government will build business premises and let them to businessmen at low rents, in the town areas. There will be no payment of premiums and key money etc., as at present.
The Governments will also make special arrangements with foreign manufacturers and exporters (through trade consuls) to deal directly with our Businessmen. The non-African trader will not be allowed to trade in the country-side. He will be restricted to the township areas only. Wholesale Agencies will be established to supply goods directly to our traders and other businessmen at fair world prices.
(iv) TRANSPORT:-The Transport Operator will also receive special attention from the P.P. Government. Under Self-government, the P.P. will make all the big accessory roads through-out the country "all-weather roads". Tar-mac roads will link the extreme ends of Uganda e.g., from Nimule to Kabale, from Karamoja and Soroti to Arua etc. This will enable the transporter to play his part with profit in the development of trade.
Passenger transport in the country will be limited only to African Bus owners and African Bus Companies.
(v) TOWNDWELLERS AND TOWN WORKERS
For the daily town worker the P.P. Government will build houses at low rents which every town wage earner can afford. Those who want to own their houses will buy them at low prices so that everybody can live in a clean and decent house at a price he can afford.
The P.P. Government will see to it that those working in the towns get wages commensurate with the standard of living in the towns. With such a wage the worker will be able to buy himself plenty of good food from the farmer who will also sell without loss at fair prices; the worker will have enough money left over to buy decent clothes for himself and for his family and still have something to save for a rainy day.
(vi) PILOT SCHEMES. Pilot Schemes on the Gezira model will be started in suitable places. One such scheme will be carried on in the Katonga Valley for dairy farming and cattle ranching purposes.
(vii) INDUSTRIES
P. P. welcomes the establishment of industries as a means of raising the standard of living of our people. But there will be proper safeguards lest these industries lead to a situation which will leave us under economic colonialism after we have achieved our political freedom. Africans will play a full part in these industries.
(viii) FOREIGN INVESTMENT: Under Self-government the P. P. Govern- will not allow foreigners to invest their money in this country, except when the foreign investors agree to reserve at least 51% of the share capital for Africans or for the P.P.Government to hold in trust for future African buyers. In addition, the foreign investors will be required to make provision in their staff arrangement so that a certain percentage of their staff right from the Directors to Counter assistants are Africans. In this way the people will learn business and join in business as well.
(ix) TAXES
In Uganda the poor subsidise the rich!!
- The primary producer, the farmer, grows unaided, on the average 5 bags of cotton a year—This is full time occupation. What does he get for it? Only Shs 275/- and that is his total income. Where he gets this amount,the Government gets a tax of Shs 60/- on his prodice. Then he pays the graduated tax and other indirect taxes.
The ginner comes and gets the lions share of the proceeds from cotton,and the Lint Marketing Board gets all the profit, and this over and above their expenses when the poor former barely ever covers the expense of his labours.
- A clerk who gets Shs 400/- a month pays exactly the same graduated tax as the minister who gets Shs4400/- a month plus all sorts of other income and free labour.
The Progressire Party is going to smash this practice and claim justicefor the poor.
2 SOCIAL SERVICES
(i) EDUCATION:—
When a people is cramped by colonialism, its educational system is also cramped. When the society shakes off the lethargy and anguish of its colonialism, when it begins to reshape itself, it must re-examine its educational system, reshape it in line with the society’s total aims.
The aim of education in Uganda was first to produce clerks, and second to train Government assistants. The question of whether the child knows as much as he should about the responsibilities involved in taking his place as a Ugandian in a Uganda society seems to have been of secondary importance.
Our country needs education on the largest possible scale. Under Self-government the Progressive Party Government will endeavour to provide free compulsory education for all children in Uganda up to Secondary VI, or the age of 17 whichever is the earlier.
To do this the P.P. proposes that under Self-government kindergarten schools will be provided, so that children can begin going to school at 4years. These schools will enable mothers in Uganda to send their little ones to play with other children of the village while they work in their gardens or houses. Unless kindergarten schools are spread widely our children will always start late to go to school with the result that only a few can reach the Secondary school level.
With the enlargement of Kindergartens Primary and Secondary schools will also increase in number to meet fully the need of the country. Technical colleges will also be increased and located in different districts of Uganda, to train young people in all types of trades and professions.
Religion will be taught in schools as the foundation of spiritual growth by each creed or denomination giving instruction to their respective followers.
Most of this education will either be free or cost parents very little. Parents will thus be relieved of the heavy burden of school fees which is growing from year to year. Thus the children of the poor will have exactly the same chances of schooling as those of the rich.
Scholarships will be allotted to meritorious students who deserve scholarships because they are clever and learn quickly. There will also be bursaries to help those who come from humble homes. Scholarships and bursaries will also be granted, to enable our clever young people to study overseas in any country they want to go to, be it England, France, Germany, America or any other countries with good universities.
Here in Uganda University facilties at Makerere will be greatly enlarged so that that University can accommodate several thousands of students. All faculties will be introduced so that Lawyers, Theologians, Engineers, Physisians, Architects and the rest will be trained at Makerere to serve our country. The Medical School at Makerere will be afforded facilities to enable that school to produce doctors with world- wide recognized qualifications, who will do their work with utmost satisfaction.
With increased education the country's productivity will rise and with that, personal incomes and salaries will rise to enable an average person in Uganda to lead a decent contented life.
Training Colleges: P.P. recognises that the hub of educational expansion is the supply of teachers. And, therefore, P.P. will build and run training colleges, will insist on the best standards of teaching and produce teachers with a spirit of enterprise and service. But in order to break the vicious circle the country is in now, the P.P. will recruit teachers from such countries as South Africa etc.
The Teacher.
The teacher is the backbone of all development. The P.P. Government will improve the condition of service of teachers so as to make them contented and to attract more people to join the profession.
(ii) MEDICAL SERVICES
Medical services will be increased by P.P. when in power under self-government. The P.P's plan is to encourage and assist every Saza to build a sizeable hospital to be controlled and largely maintained by the Saza Council. Many dispensaries will be built. Hospitals will be staffed with well trained doctors in sufficiently large numbers so that patients will not have to wait in the rain for days before they get attended to. At present the hospitals are so few and the doctors in them so few and so overworked that they cannot provide good services to the people. The result is that sick people have to queue up for days, often in pouring rain, before they can reach a doctor. When they do reach him he is too tired to give the patients the attention he would like to give them, consequently the treatment is not very satisfying. Under Self-government, the P.P. Governmnt will stop all this. Dispensaries will be well staffed with qualified dressers and nurses and visited regularly by doctors. The pressure, therefore, on hospitals will decrease. This coupled with an increased number of doctors, will completely wipe out any unnecessary queueing up and give every patient prompt and efficient attention.
In addition to the above there will be mothers' and children's clinics where mothers and children will be treated without having to travel long distances to reach hospitals or doctors.
The past two years have been for Buganda, and indeed for the whole of Uganda, her greatest hour. The Kabaka was deported by the British without trial and without his country knowing the cause for such humiliation. The decision was "final".
The Country reacted as any self-respecting country would react the people spoke with one loud and firm voice that this they would not allow and that return he must. Many also believed that God would not allow injustice to prevail. In the end the Kabaka RETURNED.
In this situation three things stood out prominently :-
- Unity
- Faith in ourselves
- The traditional spirit of "Obuntubulamu (the most respected
behaviour of a human being) of the Baganda which won them universal praise throughout the world.
These three things are important in the struggle for self-government of any country.
(2). WHAT WE HAVE LEARNT
We have learnt three great lessons :- That
- Dignity is more rewarding than mere shouting (Obubambaavu).
- Violence is not the best means of getting what you want.
- We ourselves can solve our problems provided we respond to leadership. These are great lessons.
The Kabaka's sacrifice has given us, too, a new agreement which will determine the pattern of our constitutional progress during the next six years. 12
3. THE NEXT STAGE
The next stage is all important. What hapens now sets the pace of achieving self-government. This is time for hard work. The effort we put in fighting for the return of the Kabaka must not be allowed to flag; the lessons learnt must spur us to further effort for the building of a new Uganda. But to build a new Uganda we need new methods. A party system throughout the country is one of the answers. Democracy, which all of us want and must have, cannot function except by means of organised parties.
Political parties are based on differences of temperament and habit of mind. Some people by nature are fond of affecting change by shouting and violence; others prefer working in a different way.
4. THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE
We give this Memorandum to the public from the belief that if a people are to be saved from whatever danger that threatens them, whether it be the degrading evils of colonalism or the social scourge of poverty, ignorance and disease, they will in the last analysis save themselves through their own indegeous power, pride and responsibility. If outsiders are to be helpful, their help must take the form of friendly and unobtrusive support.
We will see Uganda run by "a government of the people for the people" (Gavumenti y'abantu erwana okuyamba abantu baayo).
A party working for progress toward the building of a new self-governing Uganda.
Progress towards self-government in Uganda can only be achieved if three things obtain namely: leadership in self-help, education and economic development of the African. By education is not merely meant schooling, but the wider sense of the word, which the Baganda called "Okugunjula. " It is the aim of the Progressive Party to give the country these things.
A. SELF-GOVERNMENT
1. To achieve and maintain the Independence of Uganda as an African State, under a federal Government.
2. To be the vanguard of action in influencing affairs of national survival (e.g. the return of the Kabaka.)
B. PROGRESS FOR THE AFRICAN
1. To serve our people to serve themselves.
2. To secure political responsibility for the African to guarantee his economic and other freedom.
3. To raise the standard of living of the African by providing for him means of access to knowledge, wealth and health.
4. To keep the best in African culture and the traditional rights of the African.
5. To gain women a vote and to see that they stand for election to the Lukiko and the different councils and to the Legislative Council.
C. GREATER UGANDA.
1. To safeguard the liberties of all the inhabitants of Uganda.
2. To ensure that Federation with the other East African territories is not imposed on Uganda.
3. To work with other progressive movements in Africa and other countries with the view to puttiing to an end imperialism and colonialism and to support all measures for world peace.
1. Self-goverment for Uganda as an African state under a federal government.
2. Progress for the African in education, health and social justice.
3. Economic emancipation of the African.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Our philosphy is progress through directed self-help. The progressive aim at giving their country their utmost for the highest improvement of their lot and the lot of the society they live in. Action not words.
All progress is the result of sustained action, either by an individual or by a group. Where people work and work hard there is progress; where they idle or simply enjoy life, society is dead. Work, therefore, is the key to progress: knowledge and wealth.
In man there are two voices: the voice that tells him to languish; and the voice that urges him to action, to getting on in life by sacrificing easy pleasures and easy time and giving his life to doing something worth- while. The latter is the voice of progress. In losing his life by giving it away to some useful purpose man finds his true existence and happiness. Knowledge and wealth are never gained except through hard work. Knowledge and wealth coupled with sacrifice are pre- requisites of progress both individual and social.
Secondly, there is in man a spirit that revolts against outside fetters. The progressive rebel against outside interference with their freedom. Their aim in life is to be independent. Knowledge and wealth are means to this end. And this is true independence, to do to each man as you would each man do to you.
But man is free from outside fetters only, within him there is a Higher Authority, the obedience of whom is the beginning of true freedom.
Thirdly, self-government starts with the freedom of the individual. Until men are free with themselves, they cannot be stewards of the freedom of others.
Self-governmnet is the expression of the will of the free. Those who would participate in the runinng of the affairs of their country must needs aim at achieving their individual freedom first; that way they can guarantee best the freedom of the state.
To help propagate these ideas the Progressive Party came into being.
OUR MOTTO
"FFenna ku Iwa Uganda" (all for the good of Uganda)
1. Men have the right to choose the form of Government under which they desire to live. The question is sometimes asked whether good government is not preferable to self-government. To this two eminent leaders have given an unequivocal answer. One was Manuel L. Quezon, the Filipino politician, who once said that he preferred a government 'run like hell by Filipinos to a government run like heaven by Americans'. And Dr. Nkrumah has said that he "prefers self-government with danger to servitude in tranquility".
Therefore, it is plain that men prefer a government of their own choice, however inadequate it may be to a government imposed from outside. All men long for freedom, freedom to manage their own affairs. You can manage your affairs better than anybody, because you know your needs.
2. COLONIALISM Colonialism is the system by which Agents of imperial countries demand certain extraterritorial rights, or request permission to build forts, or seek privileges of some kind or another; by which they persuade or compel the rulers of the foreign country to accept protection from external attack or security from internal disorder on certain conditions; or by which they subdue and annex the foreign country. Whatever colonialism is, it involves some loss by the inhabitants of the colonial teritory of their freedom of action.
Most of the colonies were acquired during the general "grab for Africa" with the sole intention of benefiting the imperial powers, by supplying them with raw materials.
The system is fraught with many evils.
(i) Because it is based on authoritarian rule and a concentration of power it obsructs real, social and individual progress.
(ii) Under it the governed cannot achieve what they can call their way of life as they are subjected to a government led by people who differ from them in their language, their culture, their desires from life and in their personal, financial and political thinking, some of whom regarding themselves as super species. 16
(iii) Because it becomes easier to get on in life if people glow with fervour over everything imperial and settle down calmly in subservience to the will of the ruler, there grows a class of people with dual personalities, who are put in places of authority to lead others. Thus colonialism killing the true spirit of leadership among the governed.
(iv) It kills individual personality by denying individual responsibility.
(v) Under it order is imposed from above, not supported from below.
(vii) It curtails freedom of action of the inhabitants of the colonial territory.
3 AWAY WITH COLONIALISM
The Progressive Party is determined to do away with Colonialism and substitute freedom for subservience: democracy for authoritarian rule. We want to see power where it should be, in the hands of the people of the country and not in foreign hands. This is the pledge to which every Ugandian must bind himself. The Progressive Party offers leadership.
4. DEMOCRACY
This is I he government of the state by the majority of the people as opposed to its government by one man or by a few people. "Our constitution," said Pericles, "is called a democracy because it is in the hands not of the few but of the many."
It has come about in history not by a gradual expansion of power, but by a direct replacement of the obsolute power that happens to be on top. Abraham Lincoln defined democracy as "the government of the people by the people for the people."
In order for democracy to work it must be aided by certain forces one of which is Party. In a democracy a Party represents the will of the community. Such is the government the the Progressive Party wish to give to our country, a government that will give scope for the growth of individual personality through individual responsibility; which will provide people with opportunities of choosing between right and wrong for themselves ; a government in which order rests securely on the consent of the many, not precariously on the authority of a few. Such order can only be supported from below, not imposed from above. IV. WHERE POWER RESIDES AND WHERE FREEDOM LIES
1. THE VALUE OF THE INDIVIDUAL
The new idea that the Progressive Party wishes to stress and stress hard is the idea of the value of the individual. Each individual is of value before God. He made him distinct from other individuals. The Progressive Party believes that there should be potential opportunity for all. In other words it believes in the equality of all individuals in the opportunities the state has to offer, because individuals are of potential value. In our history the individual was of no value. It was the chief who mattered. The individual existed for the chief and had to obey what the chief told him without question. In other words, the individual had no freedom.
2. FEAR.
The worst result of this dependence upon some one above him, was fear that was instilled in the mind of each person. This fear became a cancour of growth, and that individual something that distinguishes one as free and independent, became dead. Thus our worst enemy was fear, the fear that demoralises character and destroys ambition and prevents achievement. This fear ate deep in our personality and destroyed our freedom.
When the British came they instilled this fear still further. There was fear of the official class men dare not go against it lest their chances of promotion became curtailed. There was the fear of laws meant to suppress, and of prison. There was the fear of the secret service. Thus the individul became a mere shadow, moving but without substance. People became corrupted by too much passive and irresponsible obedience. There cannot be true development with such mentality. Self-government demands reversing such mentality.
3. BRAVE SPIRITS.
But fortunately, a few resolute spirits could not stand this passivity any longer, and they raised their voices loud to reach freedom and activity. They demanded that they must have a say in the government of their country by electing chiefs. When they discovered that this was not the remedy, then they demanded that they choose their own representatives to the Lukiko the demand for the 60 representative members. Then the election of ministers. So far these few courageous spirits have won. It has been a real revolution. The last stage in this process of emancipation is the ending of colonialism and the transfer of power from the British to the people themselves. This is what we are determined to do.
4. TRUE DEMOCRACY
True democracy is that which allows each individual to enjoy his or her freedom without a hindrance. In a true democracy people do not hold the same views and opinions on any topic. Each person is free to think according to his or her inclination and to say it in speech or wriiing provided he does not
violate the rights of others. There is always room to agree to differ in such a democracy. Unfortunately, there are those, who clamour, in the name of freedom, for self-government, but who would not tolerate differences of opinion. idea of co-operation. People co-operated to do work for the common good in every walk of life. In agriculture, they co-opareted to plant together and to harvest together. In business, they made back-cloth and blacksmith work together. In social life, they made wells and roads together and they married their sons and daughters in this spirit of co-operative effort. We could produce many other examples but these are enough to show how people were accustomed to do things in this magnificient way. Even defence was done co-operatively. An alarm was enough to summon all the people in the neighbourhood and passerbys to come to the rescue of any one in need. There were social sanctions against people who did not respond to the community need of this kind.
With the introduction of Western ideas, this fine spirit died until to-day people are helplessly suffering social and economic uncertainities which were not known in the old days.
What is required is to revive this idea by the interplay of social, political and economic thinking. This can be done by a new orientation of power. Instead of imposing power from above let us have it originate from below from the people themselves, from each individual in his locality.
The Kiganda proverb, "Kamu-karmi gwe muganda" (one by one makes a bundle) is very fitting here. We want each individual contribution to the progress of our different localities. We wish each person to feel the pride of being useful to the community in which he lives. It is these isolated local prides when put together that constitute community spirit and the sense of belonging. Isolated local communities make society, and the different societies with one idea running through them make a conutry.
"One by one makes a bundle" several small bundles of sticks make a bundle of firewood and bundles of firewood make a heap. We need to base our social, political and economic thinking on this iedea.
The following is the plan which the Progressive Party is prepared to put into effect as soon as they come into power. They are prepared to decentralise power and take it to the smallest unit. Here is the plan:
1. THE UNIT-THE OMULUKA.
The unit of political organistion shall be the Omuluka. There will be local government, with limited powers, for each Muluka so that each individual can have the chance to play a part in the runnig of his immediate affairs, the idea being to revive the old custom of working to-gether for the common good. There will be a Muluka Council to which the people of the Muluka will elect their representatives to run the affairs of that Muluka according to the powers that will be granted by law to such council. The Muluka Chief will only be the executive head who carries out the decisions of the Council and who links the Muluka with the outside world.
2. THE BUNDLE-THE SSAZA
The Ssaza will be the next step above in local government. The Ggo- mbolola will remain for administrative purposes, bu without a political set-up. Each Ssaza will have its local government as practised at the present time in the districts. Each Ssaza will have a Council of elected members from the Ssaza. By law each Ssaza will be designated what powers it must exercise and what functions it must do for the good of their Ssaza.
3. THE BIGGER BUNDLE THE STATE
To start with there will be twelve states: Buganda, Bunyoro, Ankole, Toro, Busoga, Kigezi, Bugishu, Teso ; Lango, Acholi, Arua and Karamoja. Later we believe there will be more than 12 states in what will be known as "the Greater Uganda."
Each state will have its own Lukiko, Rukrato, Isingiro etc., as the case may be. By a written agreement each state will carry out certain responsibilities as a state and leave the rest to the Central Government (see below). Each state will be independent of the other states. The meeting ground will be the Central Government.
4. THE GREAT BUNDLE THE UNITED STATES OF UGANDA
Size in this matter does not matter; what matters is identity. The different states will be united under a Central Government. The Central Government will replace what is generally called the Protectorate Government or the British Government. This will be a government of the people of Uganda, by the people of Uganda for the people of Uganda. That is self-government.
The Central Government will have a Parliament and a Senate or a Lower House and an Upper House. The Parliament (Lower House) will be the House of Representatives from each state, elected on a strict population basis. The Senate (Upper House) will be on the basis of equality of the different states. As to the nature of the members of the Senate it will be left to the states to decide. But this second chamber will be necessary as a protection for smaller states, since all the states are varying in size.
There will be a Council of Ministers or a Cabinet, with a Prime Ministers as the head of the Government. 22
VI FEDERAL VERUS UNITARY SYSTEM
The political plan we have outlined favours a federal constitution Because each tribe has its own culture and history which it is not prepared to abandon, at any rate at present, the natural political development should take the form of federated states. The Progressive Party strongly supports this view because it is the only way of forming a nation out of an artificial Uganda created by a foreign power. An imposed unitary system would hinder rather than foster unity; nor does evidence from other parts of Africa show that a unitary system is one most desired by Africans.
One of the arguments against federal unity in Uganda is that the units would be too small: they could never maintain themselves. But this is hardly convincing when even smaller units are known to exist in other federal states. And the states invisaged are at present running local govern-ments of their own: surely they can be made into states with limited powers. In any case, if they chose voluntarily to amalgamate into bigger units say at the Provincial level they could do so.
VII ELECTIONS
It is the aim of the Progressive Party that elections shall be by universal suffrage on a common voters roll. There would be urban and rural constituencies. Multi-racial government based on communal representation will be ended. In the Lukiko, it is political monstrocity for the Ssaza- chiefs to have seats there, because they are civil servants. They should not be included in the next Lukiiko.
As a first step towards this system, the Progressive Party is deter- mired to press that in 1957 58 elections there is one electoral
Procedure throughout the country. It is political suicide to have on the same Legislative Council representatives of different constituencies variously elected for. VIII EPILOGUE
1. That then is the new Uganda as we invisage it and what we propose to do to bring it about. But it is the people themselves, you and I and he and she, who can determine all this. If you take part in solving problems of your destiny you will be able to achieve these things. Hence the need of decentralising power and spreading it to the people themselves. It is this which has done wonders in others countries.
2. We wish to appeal to our people to develop the spirit of love of country, which alone is the first requirement, and not to think of themselves first and what they can get. The true test is not what you can get out of your country but what you can give to it. That is what has made other countries great. But here in Uganda, people are often heard saying that so and so joined such and such a party or is doing public service because he wants to become the Katikkiro or a big chief. That is the wrong attitude altogether to take. We must join public service because we want to serve our country and people; because we want to give some of the gifts which God has given to us back to Him through service to our fellowmen, to whom in turn we owe so much for our existence. Our existence is interdependent. We exist as a result of the work of other people. We need to do the same to them. The more we are given the more is required of us.
We want those who are prepared to serve their country and their fellowmen. If it is necessary for some people to get into important positions let it be because these important positions offer greater opportunities of service; let no one aspire to such positions for gain.
3. In ending we wish to emphasize that this, the contents of this memorandum, is what we of the Progressive Party have to of fir to the country if we are voted into power; it is our set policy. Such ideals cannot be realised by any party unless it is in power, and no party can get into power unless all the people who hold the same beliefs of ideals support it.
After reading this memorandum, if you find that what it has to offer is what you would like this country to have, your first duty is to join the Progressive Party at once and add to its strength to determine the acquisition of these things. The Party depends on yur support, and your support means that Uganda gets the government of its own choice, gets more schools for her children, more food for her population, more wealth, more knowledge, more jobs for her citizens and above all more freedom. These are things which all countries need. They are yours and your children's if you join the Progressive Party.
HOW TO JOIN
At the end of this memorandum you will find the Party Application form. Fill it and send it together with 2/- annual fee, either in stamps or by Money Order, to the Secretary, Progressive Party P.O. Box 2530, Kampala. _____:Ǒ:_____
APPLICATION FORM
Name of Candidate-----------------------------------------
Address (full address). -------------------------------------
Occupation -------------------------------------------
This is to apply for membership of the Party.
I agree to abide by the rules and bye-laws of the Party at the time in force.
I enclose 2/- entrance fee.
Dated this---------- day of.----------19
Signature of Member
NOTE: This form, when completed, should forwarded to:
The Hon. Secretary,
The Progressive Party,
P.O. Box 2530, Kampala.
––––––––––––––—————————