Following a statement, that they say is incomplete, by the Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister, Kahinda Otafiire to parliament on the status of the proposed electoral reforms, the opposition has proposed 10 reforms they want included in the electoral reforms as per the Supreme Court ruling ahead of the 2021 general elections.
The Opposition, led by Betty Aol (Leader of Opposition), Ssemujju Nganda (Opposition Chief Whip) and Betty Nambooze (Shadow Minister of Information and Communication), made their ten electoral reforms public, saying as much as the Executive has failed to abide by the Supreme Court ruling that recommended to have the reforms passed two years to elections, the alternative Government is ready with their reforms.
Among the proposed reforms lined by opposition included introduction of a federal government, reinstating and entrenching presidential term limits, having a subsidized cabinet of only 21 ministers and their junior ministers.
The Electoral reforms will also provide for constitution of an Independent electoral commission, securing independence of Parliament as well as creation of Minority and Majority leaders in Parliament.
The other reforms are; creation of speaker’s panel that will be advising the speaker’s office and preside over Parliament in case speaker and deputy are not present, have a vice president as a running mate to the president in elections, constitution of an independent electoral commission among others.
The Shadow Attorney General Wilfred Niwagaba said that given the Minister’s statement, it appears government is unwilling or not ready to table the electoral reforms under the guise of establishing a Constitutional Review Commission, which was promised in 2015.
He sought leave of parliament to table a formal motion to amend electoral laws including the Presidential Elections Amendment Act, Parliamentary Elections Amendment Act, Electoral Commission Amendment Act and the Local Government Amendment Act.
Betty Nambooze, defended the tabling of the electoral reforms stating that as opposition, they cannot fold our hands as the NRM fails to put in place reforms and hide behind promise of setting up a constitutional review commission as they wait for the NRM appointed Electoral Commission prepare and serve Uganda another sham election.
She also invited all democracy seeking forces to offer them advice and revealed to have written to clerk to Parliament of their readiness to table these electoral reforms.
