The opposition Forum for Democratic Change Member of Parliament, Abdu Katuntu has backed the Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah on allowing the tabling of the new constitutional amendments last week.
Katuntu who now chairs the Parliamentary committee on Commissions, Statutory and State Enterprises, concurred with Oulanyah that stopping an MP to bring or table a bill on the floor of Parliament is not
good practice.
Last week the opposition members under their leader in Parliament, Winnie Kizza tried to block the motion for the private member’s bill moved by the Nakifuma MP Eng. Sekitoleko Kafeero.
According to the furious opposition, the Bill that seeks to increase age limit of judges and expand the tenure of the Electoral Commission is brought in bad faith to target the removal of presidential age limit.
The Deputy Speaker who was chairing the sitting however told MPs that there is no law that stops a member from presenting a bill and it is the responsibility of the legislators to receive it.
According to Oulanyah, MPs can receive and decide to shoot it down but cannot stop a fellow member from introducing a bill.
Appearing on the weekly political talk show, The Capital Gang, Katuntu said his colleagues in the opposition were wrong to try to block the bill.
“I did not agree with members from our side (opposition) who wanted the Bill not to be introduced.
That would be the opposite of the reasons we are in Parliament,” Katuntu said.
Katuntu stressed that discordance with the bill is healthy and the rights of MPs but stopping it at its introduction is not an option.
“We may have a different opinion on the matter but that does not mean we should even halt the intentions of a member bringing it.”
Katuntu however accused the government of hiding behind Sekitoleko to bring the Bill.
“The government has soiled the bill. Hiding it behind Sekitoleko has made it worst and the whole thing has been vulgarized,” Katuntu said.
Sekitoleko’s bill is highly suspected by many to be the secret architect of the government.
The mover of the bill and the seconder Paul Amoru Omiat representing Dokolo north are all National Resistance Movement party members and the day it’s motion was introduced everyone on the government side supported it.
The Deputy Government Chief Whip, Solomon Silwanyi was seen mobilizing NRM MPs the day the bill was moved.
The debate on the bill has been stalled by an apparent rift between the Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and Oulanyah. The duo travelled to the United States this week when the debate was supposed to start.