Court to hear rebel MPs' case on May 16
May 13, 2013
The Constitutional Court has fixed May 16, 2013 to hear an application in which the four MPs expelled from NRM are seeking to be joined as a party to a constitutional petition challenging the Speaker of Parliament.
By Hillary Nsambu
The Constitutional Court has fixed May 16, 2013 to hear an application in which the four MPs expelled from NRM are seeking to be joined as a party to a constitutional petition challenging the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga’s ruling that she is not constitutionally mandated to dismiss them from Parliament.
The four MPs are: Theodore Ssekikubo, Wilfred Niwagaba, Mohammed Nsereko and Barnabas Tinkasimire. They want the court to allow them be joined as respondents to the constitutional petition.
The four MPs who were expelled from NRM contend that they have direct interest in the whole matter and all issues that are in controversy raised in the petition, particularly where the petitioners claim that they could not continue representing their constituencies in Parliament.
The constitutional petition that seeks orders to oust from Parliament the alleged rebel MPs and the interpretation of other laws was filed against the Attorney General by Kibuku Constituency MP Saleh Kamba and an NRM staunch supporter Marym Agasha.
They allege in one of their reasons that the continued stay in Parliament by the rebel MPs was bound to breed impunity, anarchism and mayhem that would stifle multiparty democracy.
Kamba and Agasha also allege that the alleged rebel MPs were not entitled to continue purport to represent their respective constituencies or enjoy the privileges of Parliament, because they ceased to be members of the NRM on whose ticket they offered themselves to the electorate and; they needed to seek for fresh mandate from the electorate.
The petitioners further assert that it would be an abuse of the rule of law, good governance and constitutionalism for the rebel MPs to contribute to Parliamentary debates, participate in committee meetings and draw salaries and enjoy benefits, which are a preserve of the bonafide MPs and; for those reasons the court should order them to vacate their seats and fresh elections be held immediately to fill their seats on account of expulsion.