Suspended MPs can't lose seats, say lawyers

By vision reporters

A number of lawyers are of the view that the four MPs expelled by the NRM will not automatically lose their parliamentary seats, contrary to what the leadership of the ruling party says.

“The MPs would only lose their seats if they had crossed to another party. This is one of the issues we discussed before passing the constitutional amendments. Whoever thinks the MPs will lose their seats is not reading the Constitution well,” former MP Ben Wacha said.

Respected constitutional law professor Frederick Ssempebwa said: “So far, we don’t have any laws which affect a person expelled from the party.”

He headed the process of Constitutional Review Commission in 2005.

Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi, an NRM MP and a lawyer, said although the expulsion will have political consequences, the MPs, nonetheless, retain their seats.