The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Mathias Mpuuga Nsamba, the former Leader of the opposition in parliament has said next week he will be ready to seek leave of parliament to introduce a private member’s bill to cause electoral and constitutional amendments.
The amendments among others will reduce the number of MPs. Speaking to reporters on Friday at Parliament, the Nyendo Mukungwe MP said Uganda of just 45 million people, can’t afford to have 529 Members of Parliament.
In his proposed amendments, Mpuuga wants each district to have only one MP plus other 156 women MPs.
For the women Members of Parliament, Mpuuga proposes that they be apportioned depending on the percentage of votes that parties get in the election. Mpuuga says the 146 MP positions for the districts and 10 for the cities should be maintained but apportioned depending on the party’s share of the vote.
He argues that this will reduce the tensions in politics as it will take away the prevailing condition of winner takes it all.
Mpuuga also proposes that another tier of parliament should be created. This parliament built on the American model of the Senate, Mpuuga says would have only 39 MPs drawn from the original 39 districts of Uganda.
Other amendments that Mpuuga wants to be made include; having a voted for vice president who will chair the upper house of parliament. He also wants the results of the presidential elections to be made at each district and those that are transmitted to the national tally centre for declaration.
Also proposed for amendment is to allow Ugandans in the diaspora and prison to also vote. Mpuuga said the suggestion by some that there is not enough time to carry out this amendment before the next election scheduled for 2026 is a lazy one.
He said that if the minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs Norbert Mao brings his amendments like it has been heard, he will have no problem consolidating them.
Also on the agenda for amendment is the restoration of term limits that were struck out of the constitution in 2005. He said term limits are the only safest way of ensuring that Uganda has a smooth transition.
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