The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Members of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party Parliamentary Caucus have been summoned over the proposed Administration of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2019.
Government Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa, while addressing journalist said that the meeting is scheduled for Wednesday. He says that saying that MPs will give their views about the Bill ahead of her appearance before the Committee this week.
The bill sponsored by Kabale Municipality MP, Andrew Aja Baryayanga and Busiro East MP Medard Lubega Sseggona seeks to amend the Administration of Parliament Act to allow for the election of Leader of Opposition following the nomination of at least three contenders by the leading opposition party.
The bill also seeks to amend the method of choosing the party whips, choosing the Deputy Leader of Opposition and whips. It also seeks to increase the membership of the Parliamentary Commission to also cater for independent MPs.
According to Nankabirwa, all the proposed amendments affect her position in Parliament and that before airing out her views to the committee concerning the proposals, she needs to first gather opinions from the ruling party.
The proposed legislation currently being scrutinized by the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee has been rejected by the Opposition with the Leader of Opposition (LOP) Betty Aol Ochan and the Opposition Chief Whip Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda asking the Committee to reject it in its entirety.
Appearing before the committee in February, Aol said that the opposition had not been consulted by the proprietors of the Bill although Sseggona is the Shadow Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
Efforts by Sseggona to explain to the Shadow Cabinet the importance of the new proposals during their recent retreat in Entebbe were futile after majority opposition leaders in parliament insisted that the Bill creates double standards and only targets electing leaders in opposition and leaving the NRM free to appoint its leaders including the Government Chief Whip.
Besides the opposition in parliament, the Bill has also received negative views from Opposition political parties who have equally rejected it.
Muhammad Mayanja Kibirige, the Founder of the Justice Forum says that the Bill seeks to institutionalize independent candidates yet they were voted on individual merit. On the other hand, DP’s National Vice Chairperson Mukasa Mbidde said the proposal was unfair to the opposition which exists as an alternative to government and that its leadership cannot be elected.
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