A group of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party cadres has vowed to cause a referendum to decide the issue of having MPs and district councillors elect President in the next elections

The group calling itself “Transformer Cadres’ Association Uganda” argued on Monday that it will be more democratic to hold a nationwide referendum, rather than let the executive and the legislature alone decide the issue.  

President Yoweri Museveni has already rejected the proposal, saying it narrows the legitimacy of such a president by being elected by an electoral college.

Felix Adupa, the former Kioga County parliamentary contestant is the president of the group that wants the political system of governance changed from a presidential system to hybrid parliamentary system where the head of government, who doubles as head of state, is elected by Parliament and local governments (district councilors).

It also wants to create a second layer of Parliament called the upper house or the senate and the country to adopt a biometric voting system. It also wants the operationalization of the regional tier system and restoration of the presidential term limits.

“On January 29, the delegates conference of Transformer Cadres’ Association Uganda attended by over 300 members in Kampala endorsed the above highlighted constitutional amendment proposals and subsequently passed a resolution to pursue a referendum,” Adupa told journalists outside EC offices.

“We are today officially filing a notice with the EC of intention to start this referendum process and to request it to avail us a copy of the national voters’ register to enable collection of authentic signatures to ascertain how many voters constitute the required one tenth in the respective districts,” he stated.

Adupa said after being given a copy of the register they will use their structures to start collecting signatures, which they will attach to their petition to the EC to cause a referendum.

Article 74 (3) of the 1995 Constitution states that a referendum on the change of political systems can only be held in the fourth year of Parliament – in this case 2025.

“This is why we are initiating the process of the referendum as early as possible to beat the deadline,” Adupa, who was flanked by the former state minister of economic monitoring and Rubanda West MP Henry Banyenzaki and other NRM members who lost in the 2020 party primary parliamentary elections,” added.

Needed signatures

Section 11 of the Referendum and other provisions Act of 2005 stipulates that "the Electoral Commission shall cause a referendum to be held nationally if a petition is made in writing and is supported by at least one-tenth of the total registered voters from at least one-third of the districts of Uganda."

 There are 146 districts in Uganda meaning that the petitioners will have to collect signatures from 49 districts, and with 17.7 million registered voters, the petitioners as such need some 1.77 million signatures from 49 districts. It is a tall order, but Adupa says they will manage.

A referendum is also provided for under Article 225(1) of the Constitution, which directs that Parliament shall by law make provisions for the right of citizens to demand the holding by the EC of a referendum, whether national or in any particular part of Uganda, on any issue.

After a referendum, Parliament must amend the Constitution to reflect its results.

Paul Bukenya, the EC spokesperson, said they will look at their letter notifying them of their intention to start collecting signatures for a referendum and advise them on the way forward.