{UAH} Pojim/WBK: MPs scrap cash for presidential aspirants - National
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MPs scrap cash for presidential aspirants
Parliament- MPs last evening voted to change the electoral law, stopping the government from financing presidential candidates and also endorsed a proposal to cut back campaign time by one hour to between 7am and 4pm.
They also changed the law, increasing nomination fees for parliamentary candidates to Shs3 million.
Parliament chaired by Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah voted for an amendment to Section 22 of the Presidential Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2015, stopping the Electoral Commission from giving any campaign money to presidential candidates.
The MPs also backed the proposal to increase nomination fees.
What the decision means
This means that after a presidential aspirant has paid Shs20 million up from Shs8 million at nomination, he or she should not expect any money from the EC.
The candidate will, however, be free to choose how any district he/she wants to canvass for votes in after MPs waived the requirement to campaign in every district.
Yesterday's decision was a blow to government's wishes to have contributions to presidential candidates' campaigns increased to Shs50 million from the current Shs20 million.
The Legal Committee's proposal to increase nomination fees for MPs by 1,500 per cent (from Shs200,000 to Shs3 million) attracted passionate exchanges, with Patrick Amuriat (Kumi) and others warning that this would lock out poor Ugandans.
However, the committee's position sailed through, with 126 voting in favour and 69 against.
It could have been higher had either Ms Anifa Kawooya's (Ssembabule Woman) proposal of Shs5 million or Mr Odonga Otto's (Aruu) Shs10 million figures gained traction over the Shs1 million in the draft Bill.
Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Wafula Oguttu reminded MPs that if they were asked to pay Shs3 million before they came to Parliament, they wouldn't have made it to the House.
Mr Oguttu had moved that "whoever gets at least 5 per cent of the votes, his or her nomination money should be refunded."
However, Attorney General Freddie Ruhindi rejected this, saying, "It is not well articulated" and that "It's an ambush". When the matter was put to vote, the majority said "No".
ymugerwa@ug.nationmedia.com
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