Follow Wapa’s Advice, JEEMA Boss Tells Govt

Apr 12, 2004

THE president of Justice Forum (JEEMA), Muhammad Kibirige Mayanja, has urged the Government to heed advice given by the fallen minister, James Wapakhbulo, on the amendment of the Constitution.

By Mariam Nalunkuuma

THE president of Justice Forum (JEEMA), Muhammad Kibirige Mayanja, has urged the Government to heed advice given by the fallen minister, James Wapakhbulo, on the amendment of the Constitution.

Mayanja said the response by justice and constitutional affairs minister Janat Mukwaya on Wapakhabulo’s advice was wrong.

The late minister warned that by by-passing the constitution, the cabinet would be exposing itself to litigation and dangers that cannot be forecast.

“Wapakhabulo as a lawyer gave his honest and correct legal opinion on the referendum on article 105(2) in his letter to Museveni,” Mayanja said.

Wapakhabulo in a letter to President Yoweri Museveni said that applying a referendum on amending article 105 popularly known as third term would smuggle into the constitution a ‘totally new method of amending it.’

According to the constitution the article is supposed to be amended by Parliament but the Government has proposed a referendum.

“While Wapakhabulo was in the Movement, he was conscious of the danger and risk of creating an autocracy through the movement,” Mayanja said in a statement to journalists on Saturday.

“As a cabinet member, Wapakhabulo sought to oppose the term limit diplomatically,” he said.
Kibirige said Mukwaya was wrong to insist that the Government would organise a referendum to test people’s opinion about the term limit.

Mukwaya said her advice to cabinet was that Parliament is a narrow body and that the population’s views on such an important issue need to be sought.

He said people’s opinions are tested through opinion polls conducted by independent institutions or companies and not a referendum.

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