By Joyce Namutebi & Paul Kiwuwa

KAMPALA - The group of MPs pushing for recall of Parliament for a special sitting handed over their petition to officials of the Office of the Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga on Monday.

The chief petitioner, Denis Hamson Obua (NRM) led a 12-member delegation to the Speakers’ office at about 3:40pm, where he handed over the petition to Parliament official Patrick Ngolobe.

Ngolobe received and stamped the petition, acknowledging its receipt.

Obua said they had collected 127 signatures in a bid to recall Parliament from recess, ending days of speculation that the petitioners did not have the required signatures.

The sponsors of the petition are moving it under Article 95(5) of the Constitution, which provides that at least one third of all MPs may in writing, with their signatures attached, request a meeting of Parliament.

The Speaker shall then summon Parliament to meet within 21 days of the receipt of the request.

The gist of the petition, Obua explained, is to urge the Executive arm of government to respect constitutionalism and the rule of law. The MPs also want Parliament to urge the Executive to respect the independence of Parliament and the Judiciary, which are the other two arms of Government.

The Speaker, according to sources, had given the group up to tomorrow to present their petition, but Obua said there was no formal appointment.

Theodore Ssekikubo (NRM) claimed that letters were being sent to members to denounce and withdraw their signatures.