Age limit committee summons minister Kasaija

Finance Minister, Matia Kasaija

What you need to know:

  • The private member's bill tabled by MP Magyezi seeks among other things to amend Article 102(b), which bars anyone below 35 and those above 75 years from standing for presidency.
  • In the past, Members of Parliament have found difficulty accessing Certificates of financial implications from the Finance Ministry to table private member's bills and hence failing to table their bills.

The Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee has summoned the Finance Minister, Matia Kasaija over the Certificate of Financial Implication he issued to the Igara West MP, Raphael Magyezi in relation to the Constitution (Amendment) (No.2) Bill, 2017.

In his letter, the committee Chairperson, Jacob Oboth-Oboth asks Mr Kasaija to appear before the committee on November 21 with copies of the Certificate.
"The Committee has embarked on consideration of the Bill and there are a few issues that have come up on the Certificate of Financial Implication that needs your clarification," reads part of the November 15, 2017 letter.

The Committee has also invited the Managing Director, Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation (UPPC) to appear alongside Kasaija to avail details concerning the gazette of the Constitution (Amendment) (No.2) Bill, 2017. The Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee has been collecting views from different people on the Constitution (Amendment) (No.2) Bill, 2017 for the past three weeks.
The private member's bill tabled by MP Magyezi seeks among other things to amend Article 102(b), which bars anyone below 35 and those above 75 years from standing for presidency.

When Mr Magyezi appeared before the committee, the Opposition Chief Whip, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda raised legal concerns.
He tasked Mr Magyezi to produce documentary evidence showing when he was granted leave to draft the bill, when gazette was made and Certificate of Financial Implication issued.
In his response, Mr Magyezi said the bill was gazetted on September 28, 2017 and a Certificate of Financial Implication issued on the same date.

Mr Magyezi then tabled the gazetted Bill and certificate of financial implication issued by the Finance Minister Matia Kasaija indicating the same date September 28, 2017. Other legislators asked MP Magyezi whether he followed the laid down procedure to secure the certificate of financial implication since it was issued the same day the bill was gazetted.
MP Ssemujju tasked MP Magyezi to table documentary evidence showing that he requested for the Certificate from the Finance Ministry. In his response, Mr Magyezi said the responsibility of printing and gazetting bills lies with the Clerk to Parliament under Rule 112.

The MPs including Medard Lubega Sseggona, Mathias Mpuuga, Muhammad Nsereko and Monicah Amoding insisted that the committee addresses itself to the process preceding the tabling of the bill. They questioned how Magyezi's Bill was quickly gazetted and a certificate of financial implication issued shortly after he was granted leave of parliament.

In the past, Members of Parliament have found difficulty accessing Certificates of financial implications from the Finance Ministry to table private member's bills and hence failing to table their bills. In his ruling, the committee chairperson Jacob Oboth-Oboth said they would summon the Clerk to Parliament Jane Kibirige and Finance Minister Matia Kasaija at the later date to explain the documents.
However, sources on the Committee say the Clerk to Parliament, Jane Kibirige will not appear before the committee personally since she was only required to make a written submission concerning the date of the gazette.