MPs to consult public on Bill to restructure government

Members of Parliament on the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee are set to transverse the country for public consultations on the Constitutional Amendment Bill (2019) in which the Opposition is seeking reforms in the structure of government.
The committee chaired by Mr Jacob Oboth-Oboth (West Budama South, Ind) is processing the Private Member’s Bill that was moved by Ndorwa East MP Wilfred Niwagaba, who also doubles as the Shadow attorney general, on December 19.
The Bill seeks, among others, to amend the Constitution to remove the Office of the Vice President, replacing it with a Deputy President who would be elected alongside the President.

It also seeks to repeal the Office of the Prime Minister on top of reducing the size of government to 21 Cabinet ministers and 21 State ministers. The Bill also proposes that all ministers and State ministers be ex-officios to allow MPs fully do their work of representation and oversight.

Mr Oboth-Oboth told this newspaper on Tuesday that the committee, which has split itself into four teams, will start the countrywide consultations on Tuesday next week and hope to cover the four regions within two weeks.
“As usual, we would like to get the views of opinion leaders, civil society organisations, political leaders and members of the public who can voluntarily attend town hall meetings,” Mr Oboth-Oboth said.
According to the programme for the regional consultations, town hall meetings will be held in the western districts of Rubanda, Bushenyi, Masindi, Kyegegwa, and Kibaale, whereas in eastern Uganda, the venues are Jinja, Budaka, Bugiri and Namutumba districts.

In the central region, the consultations will be held in Mpigi and Nakasongola districts, whereas the districts of Nebbi, Kitgum, Apac and Kaberamaido are the selected venues for northern Uganda.
Mr Oboth-Oboth will lead the delegation for eastern region; Bufumbira East MP Sam Bitangaro heads the team to Bushenyi, Mpigi and Rubanda; Kaberamaido County MP Veronica Eragu Bichetero will chair meetings in northern region; and, those for Nakasongola, Kibaale, Masindi and Kyegegwa will be chaired by Gomba West MP Robina Rwakoojo.

From the onset, the Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2019, has faced resistance from government, which failed in attempts to block Mr Niwagaba from seeking leave of Parliament to introduce it and also the Finance Ministry refusing to issue him with a Certificate of Financial Implication.
Last week, Parliament gave the committee more 90 days to complete the work of processing the Bill before presenting it on the floor for the second reading.

Some key proposals
• The chairperson and members of the Electoral Commission to be publically appointed by the Judicial Service Commission, with approval of Parliament.
• Reinstating of the two presidential term limits which were abolished in the 2005 Constitutional Amendment.
• Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Governments elections to be held on the same day.
• Allowing a political party to challenge the outcome of presidential elections unlike the current provision for only presidential candidates.
• Remove the 10 representatives of the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) from Parliament.

• Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General to be ex-officios and serve a five-year term that is renewable once. They would be appointed on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission.
• Provide for the Speaker’s panel to help in steering House business in the absence of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
• Repeal the Office of the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) and Deputy RDCs

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