Miria Matembe Sues Parliament Over Removal Of Term Limits From The Constitution

Posted by: Kyeyune Andrew Jonathan in Uganda politics September 20, 2017

Former Ethics and Integrity minister, Miria Matembe, has dragged the Parliament of Uganda to Constitutional Court for conspiring and later removing presidential term limits from the constitution.

Check also: Why Age Limits Should Be Removed Andrew Mwenda Explains

In 2005, President Yoweri Museveni had Members of Parliament amend the constitution to remove term limits and give him an opportunity to pursue the life presidency project.

The legislators were then bribed with Shs5m each to ensure the proposal sails through hence opening an avenue for Museveni to die in power.

NTV quotes a petition in which Matembe together with other Human rights activists; Centre for Constitutional Governance and Legal Brains Trust say it was wrong for parliament to amend the law on term limits without first consulting the public through a referendum.

The petition received by the Constitutional Court registry Tuesday, is also accompanied by the affidavit of renowned law professor Fredrick Ssempebwa who chaired the 2001 Constitutional Review Commission that was charged with the duty to study, review and recommend changes in the 1995 Constitution.

Prof. Ssempebwa says the commission did not recommend the review of Article 105 that concerns presidential term limits but rather referred the issue to be decided through a referendum on grounds that it touched on the foundation of the Constitution.

“All this constitutional misconduct has been worsened by the removal of the term limits,” Matembe told NTV in an interview.

She said all government institutions have collapsed and what they [Matembe was among those who formulated the 1995 constitution] had feared is happening.

“Enough is enough. Let us challenge the removal of term limits and push for its reinstatement. We have been preparing this for a long time.”

Matembe said their fears have been proven by the attempt to remove the only remaining check to the life time presidency—that is the age limit.

Speaking recently, Forum for Democratic Change [FDC] presidential candidate, Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu, said he advised Museveni against lifting of term limits but he never listened.

Muntu, a former army commander, was on Monday nominated to stand again for the position of FDC party president.

“I advised Museveni in Kyankwanzi but he never listened,” Muntu recalled. He added: “I told him about legacy when he was trying to change term limits.”

Source: edge

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