Dr. Tamale blasts open voting motion
Mar 10, 2005
MAKERERE University lecturer Dr. Sylivia Tamale has criticised a motion seeking to scrap secret voting in parliament, saying the motion is historically, ideologically and morally myopic.
By Apollo Mubiru
MAKERERE University lecturer Dr. Sylivia Tamale has criticised a motion seeking to scrap secret voting in parliament, saying the motion is historically, ideologically and morally myopic.
Appearing before the parliamentary committee on rules, privilege and discipline yesterday, the Dean of the Faculty of Law urged MPs not to adopt the motion.
She was giving her views on a motion moved by Kasanda south MP Nyombi Thembo seeking to scrap secret voting in parliament during the constitutional amendment process.
The committee was chaired by Freddie Ruhindi (Nakawa).
Tamale argued that secret voting preserved the sanctity of legislators’ free choice and protected MPs from intimidation, bribery, threats or coercion.
“It is a basic right in any free and fair election that a voter can vote following his conscience but once you make it open, voters are subjected to intimidation.
“In any type of political system, when it comes to voting on fundamental issues, it should be by secret ballot. If your conscience tells you that your party is wrong on a certain issue, one votes according to his conscience,†Tamale said.
She said the historical emergence of universal suffrage could only have meaning if it went together with the secret ballot, adding that it would relieve MPs from political, social and economic powers that may influence their vote.
She said, “Abolishing anonymous voting is inconsistent with Uganda’s posture as a rising democracy and a continental model for political and economic development.â€
MAKERERE University lecturer Dr. Sylivia Tamale has criticised a motion seeking to scrap secret voting in parliament, saying the motion is historically, ideologically and morally myopic.
Appearing before the parliamentary committee on rules, privilege and discipline yesterday, the Dean of the Faculty of Law urged MPs not to adopt the motion.
She was giving her views on a motion moved by Kasanda south MP Nyombi Thembo seeking to scrap secret voting in parliament during the constitutional amendment process.
The committee was chaired by Freddie Ruhindi (Nakawa).
Tamale argued that secret voting preserved the sanctity of legislators’ free choice and protected MPs from intimidation, bribery, threats or coercion.
“It is a basic right in any free and fair election that a voter can vote following his conscience but once you make it open, voters are subjected to intimidation.
“In any type of political system, when it comes to voting on fundamental issues, it should be by secret ballot. If your conscience tells you that your party is wrong on a certain issue, one votes according to his conscience,†Tamale said.
She said the historical emergence of universal suffrage could only have meaning if it went together with the secret ballot, adding that it would relieve MPs from political, social and economic powers that may influence their vote.
She said, “Abolishing anonymous voting is inconsistent with Uganda’s posture as a rising democracy and a continental model for political and economic development.â€