BREAKING: Parliament’s Clerk has started the roll call which signals the start of voting on the Age Limit Bill’s Second Reading. For the vote to be carried, it will require two thirds which is 289 of 434 MPs. Voting will be by roll call and tally. After a Bill is passed at Second reading, it is considered clause by clause at Committee Stage before a vote is taken at Third reading for it to pass into law. (DETAILS TO FOLLOW)
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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Lawyers of the suspended six MPs, led by shadow attorney general Wilfred Nuwagaba, have this afternoon attempted to enter parliament to give notice to the Speaker and Attorney General to appear before the High Court today.
The six MPs are protesting the legality of the decision by the Speaker to suspend them from the ongoing constitution ammendment bill. The suspended MPs are Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, Allan Ssewanyana, Gerald Karuhanga, Jonathan Odur, Anthony Akol and Mubarak Manyangwa.
They lawyers were blocked at the gates of Parliament, with MPs Medard Ssegona and Nuwagaba who had the papers to serve the Speaker, detained by police.
Deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana said one can’t serve court orders in the precinct of parliament.
Soon after, Speaker Kadaga suspended the house for 30 minutes to 2.15pm when roll call and vote on the different sections of the Constitution Amendment bill report started. A total 197 MPs contributed to the debate.
For the vote to be carried, it will require two thirds which is 289 of 434 MPs. Voting on the Age Limit Bill will be by roll call and tally.
Among the severeal proposed amendments, is lifting Article 102(b) of the 1995 Constitution of Uganda – to remove the age limits (35 – 75) for presidential candidates. That is why the bill has been dubbed the “Age Limit” bill.
Speaker @RebeccaKadaga suspends #PlenaryUg for 30 minutes to allow Clerk prepare for the crucial vote on #AgeLimitsBill #AgeLimitDebate @ubctvuganda @ntvuganda @UgandaMediaCent @ACME_Uganda @Jadwong @JacobOulanyah
— Parliament of Uganda (@Parliament_UG) December 20, 2017
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Two votes will be carried out, for Second Reading & later, after approving each clause in the Committee of the Whole House, the Third Reading, before #AgeLimitsBill becomes an Act of #Parliament, awaiting Presidential assent/approval @ubctvuganda @Jadwong #PlenaryUg @Natabaalo
— Parliament of Uganda (@Parliament_UG) December 20, 2017
LIVE: What the MPs are saying in the #AgeLimitdebate #AgeLimitBill #PlenaryUg #AgeLimit https://t.co/QU2OPKu0Lj pic.twitter.com/p5K0tMh3cs
— The Independent (@UGIndependent) December 19, 2017