MPs petition Museveni over Kabakumba case

Dec 10, 2011

The MPs spearheading the censure of Minister for Presidency Kabakumba Masiko have drafted a petition to President Yoweri Museveni.

By Henry Sekanjako

The MPs who are calling for the censure of Kabakumba Masiko have drafted a petition to President Yoweri Museveni. 

Kabakumba was Minister for Information when a radio she owns took equipment from the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation, a public broadcaster.

They included a transmitter valued at sh68m, which was recovered by police in a raid last week.

Kabakumba on Wednesday denied wrongdoing. 

Yesterday, MPs handed over their signed petition to the Speaker, Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, to deliver to the President. The petitioners now want the President to take action against the accused minister within 30 days. 

The legislators said it was an easier option to bring to accused minister to book and the alternative of a censure would be resorted to when the president fails to act. 

The petitioners now want President to take action. 

The Constitution gives the President 30 days in which to take action on an accused minister before Parliament acts on a censure motion.

 

Article 118 (1) states that Parliament may, by resolution supported by more than half of all members, pass a vote of censure against a minister on grounds of abuse of office or willful violation of the oath of allegiance or oath of office, misconduct or misbehavior, mismanagement or incompetence and  physical or mental incapacity .

Article 118(2) further states that upon a vote of censure being passed against a minister, the President shall, unless the minister resigns his or her office, take appropriate action.

Article 118(3) states that Proceedings for the censure of a minister shall be initiated by a petition to the President through the speaker signed by not less than one third of all Members of Parliament, giving notice that they are dissatisfied with the conduct or performance of the minister and intend to move a motion for censure. 

On Thursday, the petitioners had raised 149 signatures, which is above the required 135 signatures to cause censure. One of the petitioners Vincent Kyamadidi (Rwampara) said they would present their petition through the Speaker.

“We have highlighted our reasons as to why we want Kabakumba to be censured. These include abuse of office, theft and causing financial loss to the Government,” Kyamadidi said.

Other petitioners include Wilfred Niwagaba NRM (Ndorwa), Mariam Nalubega NRM (Butambala) and Gerald Karuhanga (Youth Western) Ssewungu Joseph DP (Kalungu) Roland Mugume FDC, Medard Ssegona DP (Busiro) and Mohammed Nsereko, NRM (Kampala central).

Besides petitioning the President, the petitioners had another option, which is notifying the Clerk of Parliament about their intended motion to censure the accused minister. 

According to the rules of procedures, Rule 93 (1) states that a member who is desirous of moving a censure motion against a minister shall notify the Clerk in writing of his or her intention, citing the grounds for the proposed censure motion and giving detailed particulars supporting such grounds.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});