KAMAPALA – Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga has issued a two-month ultimatum to the Executive to table electoral reforms if Parliament is to consider the reforms as recommended by the Supreme Court in the 2016 Presidential Electoral petition by former Premier, Amama Mbabazi.
The Speaker said: “I urge the Leader of Government Business to expedite the process especially the electoral reforms to be considered and passed in good time, they may need to budget for additional resources therefore Parliament shouldn’t be made to firefight and be stampeded by late presentation of these by Government.”
Ms. Kadaga issued the ultimatum while addressing Parliament during the State of Nation Address at Serena Hotel where she said ahead of the 2021 general elections, MPs will spend a lot of time garner for votes and Parliament has dedicated the first two months to handle business.
“The fourth session has commenced and that means that effectively Parliament will in reality transact business within a limited period this is because the road map for the next elections is already out. MPs are usually uncomfortable around this time and they focus on what is happening in their constituencies. It is therefore necessary that the Executive brings forward all the business it deems important within the first two months so that it can be processed by Committees and they are later considered by the House,” said Ms. Kadaga.
The Speaker’s caution comes at the time when Attorney General, William Byaruhanga informed Parliament last month that the proposed electoral reforms that seek to make amendments to the Electoral Commission Act, Parliamentary Act and Presidential Elections Act as required by the Supreme Court presidential election in 2016 by Mr. Mbabazi are set to be tabled before cabinet and after approval be presented to Parliament for scrutiny.
