By Jamila Mulindwa
Members of the Opposition are preparing a private members’ bill that seeks to include presidential aspirants who garner 10 per cent of the vote as ex-officios in Parliament.
The Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Betty Aol Ocan, said that presidential candidates who get a certain percentage of votes should have seats as ex-officio members in a bid to have an independent Parliament.
Speaking to the media, Wednesday, 30 January 2018, Aol Ocan said the Opposition will seek leave of Parliament to present the bill.
“We shall move a private members bill entitled the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2019 since the government has failed to present the necessary bills,” she said.
She added that the Bill would seek for the reinstatement of presidential term limits, the introduction of federal governments and the constitution of an independent electoral commission.
“The bill also seeks to have majority and minority leaders of Parliament, strengthening the military by withdrawing them from parliament and any partisan institutions and having a limited cabinet of not more than 21 Ministers, “Aol Ocan added.
Betty Ochan noted that as opposition cannot fold their hands and let NRM appointed electoral commission prepare an election in an irregular manner.
"As opposition we are ready to fight for Ugandans to get electoral reforms."
The spokesperson for the opposition Betty Nambooze Bakireke says the reason as to why NRM has failed to bring these reforms is because many are beneficiaries of rigged elections. "Some members benefited but also there those in NRM who have been victims of flawed elections" she says.
The presidential nominations are set to be conducted by August next year meaning the time for reforms recommended by the supreme Court would have elapsed.
