Uganda: NRM legislator to table Bill on extending presidential immunity
SHEILA NATURINDA
IN SUMMARY: Mr Martin Andi Drito, the Madi-Okollo legislator, argues that presidents commit errors, while in power, not because they intend to. However, the opposition is questioning the MPs intentions.
……………………………
An NRM Member of Parliament wants another constitutional amendment passed by the Ninth Parliament to provide for immunity of the President extended to cover the period when he is out of office.
Mr Martin Andi Drito, (Madi-Okollo County) has proposed a constitutional amendment draft Bill called Constitutional Amendment (Immunity for the Outgoing President) Bill 2012.
The Bill seeks to cause amendment onto Article 98 of the Constitution which shelters a sitting head of state from any civil and or criminal prosecution for any errors committed while he is serving the country. Mr Drito, however, wants the head of state covered when he or she ceases holding the office.
“I feel it’s necessary at this time in the interest of the country to make changes for a smooth transition in future. Uganda has never had such,” Mr Drito told journalists at Parliament on Friday. He said no president has ever left office without recourse to war. However, it is not clear whether his party will unanimously support the Bill when they next meet in their caucus.
Some members of the opposition have already started questioning the spirit of the Bill, its mover and who could have sent him to make such a proposal at this time when scores want Parliament to restore presidential term limits.
The shadow Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Mr Medard Lubega Segoona, said Mr Drito’s proposals are “a direct move by the Legislator to promote and introduce impunity in the constitution”.
Mr Segoona said in an interview with this newspaper that Mr Drito should call for a convention on his proposals and not a constitutional amendment. “You cannot stop people who are aggrieved from demanding for accountability from a former head of state. No country legislates for or against an individual and we shall not be part of mistakes which were made by the Seventh Parliament.”
During the Seventh Parliament, legislators were paid Shs5m each then, to agree to an amendment scrapping term limits from the Constitution.
Mr Drito says his amendment is moved in good faith because a president could make errors while serving the country by virtue of his mandate and not because he intended to.
“The Presidents when serving the country will be rest assured that when out of power they will not be prosecuted because am sure many of them must be scared of jail and any form of punishment when they are immunity free,” he said. He added; “This is a way of promoting democracy so that we have in our society a number of leaders whom we can bank on for advice in leadership when they leave office.”
0 comments:
Post a Comment