Age Limit debate: Suspended MPs rush to court to revoke Kadaga orders
Six Members of Parliament who were on Monday suspended from the House by speaker Rebecca Kadaga have petitioned the High seeking for orders to have them returned to parliament to attend the ongoing age limit debate.
Six MPs; Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, Allan Ssewanyana, Gerald Karuhanga, Jonathan Odur, Anthony Akol and Mubarak Manyangwa were on Monday suspended from Parliament sittings for masterminding chaos as the House resumed debate on the proposal to amend the presidential age limit.
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The legislators through their lawyers led by Erias Lukwago on Wednesday petitioned the High Court civil division seeking prerogative orders to have them recalled back to parliament.
"The issue at hand(age limit debate) is key yet six constituencies are not represented when constitution is being altered. The issue in parliament is concerning the lives of Ugandans,"Lukwago said.
"We want court to order that the Speaker's orders to suspend the MPS be revoked. "
Lukwago said that the manner in which the speaker of parliament suspended the six legislators was illegal because she had earlier adjourned the house sitting.
"It was a gross violation of the rules of procedure.When she adjourned parliament to 2pm she was no longer speaker and couldn't take any decision as one after suspending the house."
The six legislators through their lawyers say they want court to order them back to parliament so as to represent their voters as the house deliberates a matter of life and death.
They claim that their case should be treated with urgency adding that it is enshrined within the law to hear such cases expeditiously.
"We want court to stop the speaker from suspending MPs anyhow without first asking them to show cause for not being suspended. "
Before the suspension on Monday, Kadaga had warned that members who breach rules of Procedure would face tougher sanctions as the parliamentary legal committee chairperson Jacob Oboth Oboth tabled the age limit bill report.
The six legislators will face a suspension six sittings.
By Kenneth Kazibwe and Esther Namutamba
