CENTER FOR CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNANCE (CCG)

CCG ACTION PLAN

Contact Person

Okwiri Rabwoni – CCG Executive Director

Email: rokwir@hotmail.com

Tel. (Mobile): +256-774 608 937

Alternate

Email: info@ccgea.org or

Constitutional.governance@gmail.com

Tel (Office): +256-312 273 113

Tel (Mobile): +256- 778 349 136 - 2 -

Introduction

Center for Constitutional Governance (CCG) is a regional organization based in Uganda and reaches out to the Eastern Countries of Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan with a cardinal goal of strengthening constitutional governance by bridging the gaps in governance and challenges in policy and regulatory framework.

CCG seeks to promote constitutional governance in the greater East African region in areas of regulatory policy making and governance concepts by directing attention towards democratic and constitutional governance and bypassing old dichotomies on the future of the nation state.

Vision

Just and equitable societies with citizens at the heart of their governance

Mission

Transforming leadership and governance through civil society driven initiatives.

Objectives

(i) Promote democratic culture through creating platforms for discourse, debate and activism

(ii) Promoting integrity of the democratic processes by advocating for effective policy, legal and institutional mechanisms

(iii) Promoting constitutionalism and constitutional governance

(iv) Strengthening civil society and other social institutions

Strategic Programmes

The strategic programmes include constitutional literacy; youth/students initiative; public interest litigation; research and documentation and social, economic and political justice campaigns.

Constitutional Literacy

This programme aims at promoting constitutional governance in Uganda and the region through continuous civic education and sensitization on constitutional literacy including advocacy for constitutional reforms; and its relevance to good governance and in its role in East Africa’s political integration.

Proposed activities under this programme include: simplifying and translating the constitution into eight major local languages and disseminating it; constitutional literacy campaign; advocating for constitutional reforms; mobilization and sensitization on constitutional rights and obligations; advocating for harmonization of policies on governance within the region e.g. electoral laws, - 3 -

migration laws; public dialogue for interface between government agencies and the citizens and training of trainers (TOT) for massive sensitization on constitutional rights and obligations.

The expected outputs include: citizens are more knowledgeable about their constitutional rights and responsibilities; cardinal constitutional principles are respected and restored; citizens have means and avenues for expressing their needs and concerns and for holding political leaders accountable; Increased understanding and participation of citizens in EAC Political integration process; feedback and accountability processes between governments and the citizens are enhanced and development of a critical mass to effect the sensitization programme.

Youth/students - Hope Initiative

Transforming Uganda by providing leadership for restoring hope for the future, dignity of the people and building a responsive citizenry through Uganda’s Young Citizens.

Proposed activities herein include setting up Hope Initiative (HI) societies, clubs and foras countrywide; setting up a National Resource Center to facilitate the Hope Initiative with evidence based information, materials and to facilitate their day to day activities; carrying out continuous mentorship camps for the Hope Initiative Leaders on a quarterly basis per year; carrying out public lectures/sensitization on topical issues in the Institutions of Higher Learning and Schools; set up the e forum for the Hope Initiative (blog, face book, twitter, Google plus) and publishing the Hope Initiative (HI) Magazine on a quarterly basis.

Expected outputs include: Hope Initiative (HI) societies, clubs and foras set up; a National Resource center for the Hope Initiative set up; Mentorship camps for the Hope Initiative Leaders held on a quarterly basis every year; Public lectures held in Institutions of Higher Learning and Schools; E forum for the Hope Initiative put in place and HI Magazine publications on a quarterly basis.

Public Interest Litigation

This aims at carrying out public interest litigation on matters that affect political responsiveness, accountability and social justice especially civil- political rights; land rights; media freedoms and in defence of the Constitution.

Proposed activities include advocacy/engagement and Public interest litigation/mitigation. The expected outcomes include: Improved governments responsiveness to peoples demands and aspirations; increased access to legal services and representation and repeal of obnoxious laws that limit peoples’ freedom of expression and defence of the Constitution.

Research and Documentation

To strengthen governance and social institutions and act as a center for policy development and engagement in the region through research analysis, documentation and publications

Proposed activities include: carrying out an audit of Uganda’s Oil and Gas Sector; continuous policy analysis and legal reviews; setting; setting up a fellowship programme in partnership with HURIPEC at the Faculty of Law (Makerere University) and in other Universities on religion, rights - 4 -

and peace; commission a study on the governance scenarios in the EAC Partner States; the functioning of political parties and their capacities to promote constitutionalism; commission a baseline survey on citizens awareness and appreciation of the EAC integration process and conduct a baseline survey on policy formulation, acceptability and people engagement.

The expected outcomes include an analytical report on Uganda’s Oil and Gas Industry; center for research on policy and governance issues established; Fellowship programme on religion, rights and peace set up at the Faculty of Law at Mekerere University; governance scenarios and Political party capacities to promote good governance established through an evidence based approach; levels of awareness and appreciation of the EAC integration process established and advocating for improved policy making approaches basing on the survey findings.

Social, Economic and Political Justice Campaigns

Advocate for reforms in the health, education and legal sectors among others. To advocate for health, education and legal reforms for improved service delivery and promotion of democratic cultures, space and values for social justice and equity.

The proposed activities include: advocate for reforms in electoral laws and election management; civic education campaigns on health, education and on electoral reforms; litigation and engagement for general health, education and legal reforms; publication and dissemination of materials on governance benchmarks and monitoring governance performance/standards in member countries.

The expected outcomes include: having acceptable and functioning electoral systems in place; having timely and continuous citizen sensitization on health, education and electoral processes and democracy; archaic laws reformed; increased access to knowledge on governance and production and publication of performance score cards on governance in the member countries.

Organization Strategy

CCG strategy is to employ a citizen driven approach through the civil society to empower and engage the citizenry in effectively exercising their responsibility and demanding for their rights. The EAC Good Governance Protocol will provide the institutional and legal framework for operationalising this strategy. CCG intends to achieve the above by working in collaboration with civil society groups of: religious/cultural institutions; labour unions; media; professional organizations; youths/students; academia; women movements and industrialists/producers

The Leadership of CCG

CCG is headed by a Board of professionals and experts in different sectors across the region whose wealth of information and insight inform the undertakings of CCG. They are listed in table 1 below: - 5 - Names	Brief Profile
UGANDA
Bishop Dr. Zac Niringiye	Executive (Board) Chairperson - Center for Constitutional Governance (CCG); Bishop in the Church of Uganda for Kampala Diocese; Chairperson, Uganda National Governing Council of Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and Deputy Chair of the Peace, Justice and Governance Committee of the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU)
Ms. Irene Ovonji Odida	Board Treasurer- Center for Constitutional Governance Chairperson – Action Aid International – Global Senior Consultant – East African Community Former Member of Parliament – East African Legislative Assembly Advocate and Founder member of FIDA - Uganda
Dr. Miria Matembe	International Consultant – Constitutional Law and Governance Issues Former Minister of Ethics and Integrity Former Member of Parliament and Former Constituent Assembly Delegate Founding member of Action For Development (ACFODE) and Center for Women in Governance(CEWIGO)
Hon. Gerald Karuhanga	Youth MP Western Region Lead Counsel – Public Accounts Committee of Parliament Chairperson ANNPCAN
Mr. David Mpanga	Advocate of High Court and Human Rights Defender
Mr. Okwiri Rabwoni (Rtd Maj)	Executive Director and Secretary to the Board, Center for Constitutional Governance Former Youth MP Western and Lawyer
RWANDA
Hon Immaculate Ingabire	Deputy Chairperson, Center for Constitutional Governance Chairperson – Transparency International – Rwanda Chairperson – Women’s Forum for the Great Lakes Conference Former Member of Parliament
BURUNDI
Mr. Leopold Mbarirande	Former President of the Burundi Bar Association Advocate of High Court of Burundi Human Rights Defender
TANZANIA
Mr. Khoti Kamanga	Law Don, Dares Salaam University, Tanzania Social Justice Campaigner
KENYA
Ms Fatuma Mohammed	Chairperson – Kenyan National Cohesion Commission
SOUTH SUDAN
Younnes Ajawain	Former MP and Minister of Justice, Government of Sudan