Museveni defends White Paper
Dec 21, 2004
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has defended the Cabinet views in the White Paper on the proposed constitutional amendments, saying they were a panacea to the stability of the nation.
By Felix Osike
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has defended the Cabinet views in the White Paper on the proposed constitutional amendments, saying they were a panacea to the stability of the nation.
The President was on Monday meeting MPs on the legal and parliamentary committee at State House Nakasero. The committee, chaired by Jacob Oulanyah, has been scrutinising the White Paper.
Sources at the meeting said the MPs disagreed with the president on some proposals, like the power to dissolve Parliament in case of a stalemate between the legislature and the Executive.
The MPs also rejected the proposed omnibus Bill that seeks to amend 119 articles of the 1995 Constitution.
Oulanyah said they advised the president to introduce three Bills, which would address parliamentary, district and referendum issues.
The Bills, the MPs argued, should be presented concurrently and become operational on the same day.
The MPs also said they did not make a specific proposal on the controversial idea to remove the presidential term limits because the matter would be decided by the House.
“We told the president there were two strong positions for it and against it. We told him the positions were irreconcilable and can only be resolved through the vote,†said Oulanyah.
He said the President did not speak on the matter. Cabinet proposed that the matter be decided by Parliament before it is referred to a referendum.
Cabinet suggested that in case of a deadlock, the matter should be resolved by a president dissolving Parliament, in which case the office of the president would also fall vacant and fresh elections held.
But the President reportedly said, “Somebody should be punished for acting irresponsibly,†in reference to some MPs blocking the Bujagali power project.
The President told the MPs that the new constitution must serve the interests of the country.
“The constitution must not be an end in itself. It must avoid paralysis, wastage of resources and must have national objectives,†the President reportedly told the MPs.
The MPs said should there be a stand-off, the issue should be decided through a referendum.
“Nobody should resign and Parliament should not be dissolved. The matter should be referred to the people,†Oulanyah said.
Seventeen Articles of the 1995 constitution including Article 269, which had placed restrictions on political parties, are to be deleted.
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has defended the Cabinet views in the White Paper on the proposed constitutional amendments, saying they were a panacea to the stability of the nation.
The President was on Monday meeting MPs on the legal and parliamentary committee at State House Nakasero. The committee, chaired by Jacob Oulanyah, has been scrutinising the White Paper.
Sources at the meeting said the MPs disagreed with the president on some proposals, like the power to dissolve Parliament in case of a stalemate between the legislature and the Executive.
The MPs also rejected the proposed omnibus Bill that seeks to amend 119 articles of the 1995 Constitution.
Oulanyah said they advised the president to introduce three Bills, which would address parliamentary, district and referendum issues.
The Bills, the MPs argued, should be presented concurrently and become operational on the same day.
The MPs also said they did not make a specific proposal on the controversial idea to remove the presidential term limits because the matter would be decided by the House.
“We told the president there were two strong positions for it and against it. We told him the positions were irreconcilable and can only be resolved through the vote,†said Oulanyah.
He said the President did not speak on the matter. Cabinet proposed that the matter be decided by Parliament before it is referred to a referendum.
Cabinet suggested that in case of a deadlock, the matter should be resolved by a president dissolving Parliament, in which case the office of the president would also fall vacant and fresh elections held.
But the President reportedly said, “Somebody should be punished for acting irresponsibly,†in reference to some MPs blocking the Bujagali power project.
The President told the MPs that the new constitution must serve the interests of the country.
“The constitution must not be an end in itself. It must avoid paralysis, wastage of resources and must have national objectives,†the President reportedly told the MPs.
The MPs said should there be a stand-off, the issue should be decided through a referendum.
“Nobody should resign and Parliament should not be dissolved. The matter should be referred to the people,†Oulanyah said.
Seventeen Articles of the 1995 constitution including Article 269, which had placed restrictions on political parties, are to be deleted.