Kategaya To Table Bill On Emergency

Sep 07, 2002

SECOND Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs, Eriya Kategaya, has promised to table a Bill in six months to provide for the declaration of a state of emergency.

By John Kakande
SECOND Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs, Eriya Kategaya, has promised to table a Bill in six months to provide for the declaration of a state of emergency.

Kategaya (pictured) gave the assurance on Thursday when he delivered a ministerial statement in Parliament over the matter.

He was responding to a question by Oyam South MP Dr Okullo Epak on September 3, 2002, during a motion, which was moved by MP Bright Rwamirama, relating to the plight of the people in the war-ravaged areas.

Epak asked when the Government would enact a law to give effect to Article 110 of the Constitution that gives powers to the President to declare a state of emergency in the country or any part of the country threatened by war or external aggression, insurgency or natural disaster.

Kategaya said an inter-ministerial technical team would be set up soon to draft the Bill on the emergency.
The team would include representatives from the Ministries of Defence, Finance and Disaster Preparedness.

MP Aggrey Awori (Samia Bugwe North) demanded that the Bill should be tabled within seven days and not six months.

Awori said there exists a state of emergency in the north, but the Government was simply hesitant to declare so because it has “far reaching implications.” He said the UN has funds for emergencies but Uganda cannot access them if it does not declare that a state of emergency exists.

John Nsambu Alintuma (Bukoto) drew the wrath of colleagues when he asserted that Parliament was not helping the Government in the fight against Kony.

He said Parliament has not categorically denounced Kony rebels. Alintuma was attacked by Awori, James Mwandha (disabilities) and Abdu Katuntu (Bugweri).

“I cannot recall any one occasion where a member has said anything to support Kony,” Mwandha told MPs.
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