Opposition MPs challenge Kadaga's ruling, walk out

Photo by Kennedy Oryema

Opposition MPs led by the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Winfred Kizza, have walked out of Parliament arguing that the House was not procedurally proceeding well.

When the House resumed at 2:00PM, a number of opposition MPs challenged Speaker Kadaga's suspension of six opposition MPs reminding her that as MPs they swore to be faithful, defend and protect the Constitution.

Busiro East MP Medard Ssegona said that the Speaker suspended the MPs after adjourning the House describing it a ‘corridor suspension.'

Kizza's plea to Kadaga to rescind her decision fell on deaf ears.  "I ask the Speaker to rescind her decision and call back the six MPs she suspended earlier since she did so after she had suspended the House to 2:00PM," Kizza submitted.

"It is a pity that the Leader of the Opposition of this Parliament is promoting disobedience in this House. The members are suspended and they remain suspended," Kadaga reiterated in response.

The suspended MPs are Allan Sewanyana, Semujju Nganda, Gerald Karuhanga, Mubarak Munyagwa, Jack Odur and Antony Akol.

As they matched out, legal committee chairperson, Jackson Oboth Oboth, continue to present the report of the Age limit Bill.

The Bill seeks to scrap Article 102 (b) of the 1995 Constitution that limits the age of a president to 75 years. The Bill also seeks to lower the age for presidential candidates to below the current 35, meaning an 18-year old can be president, which some people contest.

If they endorse the majority report, the Bill will go into third reading and pass.
Some members of the ruling NRM party prefer a secret ballot to avoid being targeted by their constituents, who are opposed to the lifting of the presidential age limit.