MAO: PRESIDENT SHOULD BE ELECTED BY PARLIAMENT

FACT OR FICTION?

By Mulengera Reporters 

Justice & Constitutional Affairs Minister Norbert Mao says his DP wants a weakened Presidency which is Ceremonial so that the next President of Uganda is elected by Parliament and not through universal adult suffrage. Mao, who is already constituting the membership of the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) which will revise what remains of the 1995 Constitution, envisages a post-2026 Parliament that will be comprised of individual legislators chosen by political parties.

All these views were shared during the last Thursday closed door meeting Mao had with the executive members of the NRM-leaning pressure group called Transformer Cadres Association of Uganda (TCAU). Led by their President Felix Adupa Ongwech, the Transformer Cadres were the first to propose a President elected through Parliament as opposed to universal adult suffrage, an arrangement Mao now says is similar to what his DP would like to say. At the Thursday, Adupa was with other executive members namely Faridah Nakalawa (VP), Malik Kiberu (Legal Advisor), Rtd Maj Geoffrey Mugweri (Treasurer) and Charles Kazooba (the Administrator).

The details of what was discussed during the last Thursday closed meeting at Mao’s new offices were revealed by Adupa during a Wednesday press conference his group held this morning at Mosa Courts in Kampala. He said that Mao assured them how the political transition many young people desire to see would soon be becoming reality. That the DP President assured them that seeing off Gen Museveni, the veteran leader from Rwakitura who has ruled for close to 40 years, is his key assignment as the new Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs.

Adupa told reporters at the Mosa Court media event that the Constitutional Review Commission will soon be unveiled and its membership will be largely dominated by young people drawn from all the diverse sections and interest groups of the country. That the CRC will take three years gathering views from individual Ugandans and organized groups.

That Mao also told them that, besides the CRC, he has also been mandated to set up the Truth & Reconciliation Commission which will be part of the national dialogue process he is here to spearhead in close consultation with the President and Cabinet. Mao also told his guests that the Amnesty Commission would soon be disbanded and replaced with something called the Transitional Justice Commission. That the CRC, just like the TRC, will be adequately resourced so that its members won’t have any excuses not doing a good job.

During the same meeting, the group members shared with Mao some of the amendments they want to see made on the Constitution. These include changing from Presidential to Parliamentary system, reinstating Presidential term limits, lengthening the term of government from 5 to 7 years, creation of an upper chamber of Parliament called the Senate and implementation of the regional tier system which was already enacted or legislated into the Constitution. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [whatsapp line], 0779411734 & 0200900416 or email us mulengeranews@gmail.com