40 law students trained in democratic governance ahead of 2021 polls

As the election season starts to heat up, at least 40 law students from different universities are being trained in democratic governance matters so that they can become better leaders in case they are elected into political office.

The two-day training of the young lawyers, was necessitated given that the majority of them harbor political ambitions either directly or indirectly.

“Most lawyers engage in politics by standing for political positions like Member of Parliament or they represent politicians in courts of law in election petitions. Indirectly, they influence the policy making in the country, so there was need to train the young lawyers so that they have an understanding of both the demand and supply of governance, ”Mr Michael Aboneka, the coordinator of African Governance Architect said on the side-lines of the training in Kampala on Thursday.

Ms Rebecca Karagwa, a fourth year law student at Uganda Christin University in Mukono, said the training was timely since she will use the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG), as an authority while handling governance cases.

“At the end of the training, I will be able to know which sections of ACDEG I can use as authority in my work and later as an advocate,” she said during the training.

The charter also provides for the promotion of gender equality in public and private institutions, transparency and fairness in management of public affairs, strengthening political pluralism and recognizing the role, rights and responsibilities of legally constituted political parties including opposition political parties, which should be given a status under national law.

A number of lawyers have since expressed interest of joining active politics come 2021 general elections.

Some of the prominent lawyers who have expressed interest in the 2021 politics include; the incumbent Kampala lord mayor, Erias Lukwago, outgoing president of the Uganda Law Society, Mr Simon Peter Kinobe, although he lost out in the NRM primaries for Bugahya County flag in Hoima District, Medard Sseggona for Busiro East, Jackson Ntwatwa in Kayunga areas and Paul Wanyoto in Mbale City.

President Museveni signed the Charter on December 16, 2008, a year after it was adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Governments of the African Union-AU.

Out of the 54 African states, 34 have ratified the Charter. They include; Sudan, Rwanda, Ghana and South Africa among others.

Likewise, Burundi, Somalia, Zimbabwe and Uganda have since signed the Charter but have not yet ratified it.

Six states; Egypt, Morocco, Tanzania, Botswana, Eritrea and Libya have neither signed nor ratified.