Bobi Wine, Amuriat to table electoral reforms today
This photo taken on January 12, 2021 shows former presidential contender Dr Kizza Besigye addressing journalists at Hotel Africana in Kampala as presidential candidates Patrick Amuriat, Mugisha Muntu and Robert Kyagulanyi look on. PHOTO/ ABUBAKER LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- The academia, legal minds, civil society and opinion leaders will also feature in the deliberations, which will, among others, inform constitutional and electoral reform proposals.
Leaders of opposition political parties are today expected to present proposals for constitutional and electoral reforms at an ongoing consultative workshop.
The Office of the Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LoP) has organised the three-day workshop that started yesterday in Kampala.
National Unity Platform (NUP) leader, Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, Forum for Democratic Change President Patrick Amuriat, and Mr Nobert Mao, the president general of the Democratic Party who is also the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, whose parties have representatives in the 11th Parliament are expected to discuss the “legislative reforms required to improve Uganda’s political landscape.”
Other opposition leaders expected include Mr Asumani Basalirwa of the Justice Forum (Jeema), Mr Jimmy Akena of the Uganda People's Congress (UPC) and Mr Saddam Gayira of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).
The academia, legal minds, civil society and opinion leaders will also feature in the deliberations, which will, among others, inform constitutional and electoral reform proposals.
Mr Kyagulanyi and Mr Amuriat contested for the Presidency in the 2021 general election which they both described as unfair. On occasion, campaign rallies of the two candidates were blocked or disrupted by security agencies, and the candidates were arrested and also denied access to media.
In November 2020, at least 54 people were killed in demonstrations that followed the arrest of Mr Kyagulanyi.
Mr Kyagulanyi, who finished second after President Museveni in the January 2021 election, and his NUP party have since the election raised concerns of arbitrary arrests, detention, and torture of their supporters.
As a result, the opposition party leaders are expected to present issues in the 2021 election and also advance reforms such as the restoration of two five-year presidential terms, reducing the size of Parliament and Cabinet and repealing the Public Order Management Act.
Betty Aol Ocan, Woman MP for Gulu City and former LoP said she and her party, FDC fully support the fresh consultations.
Other experts
Justice Prof Joel Ngungi of the Court of Appeal in Kenya, lecturer Mwambutsya Ndebesa and advocates Peter Walubiri, Dan Wandera Ogalo , Prof Fredrick Ssempebwa and Karoli Ssemogerere .
