{UAH} Top lawyers propose constitution changes-i think decent ugandans will welcome this apart from the sycophants
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7:29 AM |
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A panel of constitutional law experts has proposed changes to the Constitution suggesting, among other things, a provision for the position of a presidential running mate, restoration of presidential term limits and limiting the size of cabinet to 21 positions.
The experts, united under Kituo Cha Katiba: Eastern African Centre for Constitutional Development, argue that the electorate must have the right to choose a vice president who can take over in case of a vacancy, like it is in Kenya and other countries.
The proposals were submitted to Uganda Law Reform Commission, the body mandated to collect people's views on possible constitutional amendments.
The team of experts included Miria Matembe, Prof Fredrick Ssempebwa, Peter Walubiri and Makerere University law dons, Prof Fredrick Jjuuko, Dr Kabumba Busingye and Dr Christopher Mbazira, among others.
Proposals on executive
The experts propose that the office of prime minister should be scrapped and roles transferred to the office of the vice president. They also want the number of constituencies to be reduced as one way of effective representation and to cut on the cost of public expenditure.
They want the affirmative action position of district woman Member of Parliament scrapped, preferring to have instead a male and female representative for every constituency. The experts further propose that cabinet positions should be limited to 21 while ministers should be appointed from outside Parliament.
They also want a clause to be introduced barring any future appointment of someone as minister provided that individual has ever been censured while serving as minister.
They also want an attorney general who is not a member of the cabinet but, rather, a lawyer with qualifications of a Supreme court judge, appointed by an independent commission.
On the issue of land, the lawyers propose that Parliament should make a law to limit the amount of land an individual is allowed to own so as to prevent landlessness for the majority of people.
Other amendments
- Speaker to be elected from outside Parliament; therefore, should not be an MP.
- Death penalty should be abolished.
- One woman and one man MP per constituency.
- Members of the electoral commission must be publicly vetted and selected by an independent body such as the Judicial Service Commission.
- Clause to bar the appointment of army officers as Inspector General of Police.
- IGG to be appointed through a competitive and open process, including interviews and public scrutiny, before approval by parliament.
- Introduce clause to guide the courts on how they should interpret the Bill of Rights. The clause should indicate that in interpreting the bill of rights, the courts should adopt interpretations which maximize enjoyment of the rights over those interpretations which limit the enjoyment.
- A state legal aid board should be introduced as a constitutional body and facilitated to provide legal aid services to the indigent.
- Introduce clauses which cater for protection of personal data which may be in the possession of either the state or private entities.
ssekika@observer.ug
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