Aspirants intending to contest for parliamentary seats will be expected to pay Shs3 million, after Members of Parliament who were considering the Parliamentary Elections Amendment Bill, 2019, opposed an amendment to reduce the fees to Shs200000.

The amendment was moved by Budadiri West MP, Nathan Nandala Mafabi. He argued that since the same Bill had okayed the independents to contest in the Parliamentary elections, the nomination fees should be reduced.

“Since we have agreed that all should contest. Let us go back to 10 currency points (Shs200000) or even remove it” Mr Nandala said.

The current fee was set by the same House in 2015 in the build up to the 2016 elections. The same amendment of 2015 also saw the nomination fee for presidential candidates increased from Shs8m to Shs20m.

Last week, the debate on the Presidential Elections Amendment Bill failed in an attempt to move an amendment that nomination fees for all candidates sponsored by a political party are paid by the same party in a lump sum amount.

On reducing nomination fees, Mr Nandala who is also the Secretary General of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) was supported by Speaker Rebecca Kadaga who said it is unfair to close out other people who want to contest but cannot afford the Shs3m.

“Let us be focused but also let us not look at ourselves. Ever since we made it to Shs3m, there have been petitions to this House. Young people have been on this floor debating it. I think we have no right to defend barriers” the Speaker said.

Others in support were; Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda,  Butambala County MP Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi and Maracha County MP Denis Oguzu Lee who insisted that democracy should be made easy to access.

But, MPs from across the floor held to their guns saying, people who want to run for office must be able to pay for it.

Mr Abdu Katuntu (Bugweri County) who has announced he will not run again said that it is important that the candidates running an election are able to contribute to the budget of the EC to organise the polls.

“The budget for EC is a whooping over Shs500 billion. It is fair that all of us seeking to participate in an election to contribute to that budget” he said.

Mr Abbas Agaba (Kitagwenda County) also weighed in saying; “nomination fees are not the only determent in an election. We have already been unfair by putting qualifications. Senior Six or its equivalent has already closed out many people.”

Other MPs including Elijjah Okupa (Kasilo County) and Silas Aogon (Kumi Municipality) went further to suggest that the nomination fee for MPs be increased further to at least Shs10m.

Attorney General William Byaruhanga concurred with the MPs in maintaining the status quo saying; “at Shs200000, it is not unreasonable to say that there will be an influx (of contestants). My quarrel with Honorable Nandala’s proposition of Shs200000 is too low.”

It is after this heated debated that Speaker Kadaga yielded in saying the proposal was “unpopular” and there was need to maintain the status quo.

Meanwhile, the House passed the Bill with amendments in line with the Presidential Elections Amendment Bill which was passed last week.

The key components of the Parliamentary Elections Amendment Bill include the provision to allow independent parliamentary candidates to contest in the 2021 elections and the EC gazetting polling stations outside army barracks.