The Leader of Opposition, Hon. Mathias Mpuuga wants the government to explain its motivation of entering into various international protocols and treaties without satisfying the provisions of the Ratification of Treaties Act which require for such agreements to be ratified with the knowledge of Parliament.
Speaking as he received a petition from the Southern and Eastern Africa Trade Information and Negotiations Institute – (SEATINI) Uganda, a Pan African NGO working to promote pro-development trade, fiscal and investment related policies, Mpuuga raised fears that the government, in choosing to work in the dark, could have committed the country into regrettable undertakings.
“This informs the danger in which we are walking as a nation… there is a possibility [that] so many undertakings in form of protocols and agreements are being made on our behalf,” Mpuuga said.
Section 4 of the Ratification of Treaties Act requires the Executive to lay before Parliament all treaties it has ratified. Some treaties under Section 2 (b) of the same Act have to be ratified with a resolution of Parliament.
On July 11, the State Minister for Regional Co-operation, John Mulimba laid before Parliament a list of 243 International conventions, treaties and protocols that Uganda had entered into but without much detail.
“Strangely, the Minister purported to lay a document that never had any detail, and indeed, the same document was not uploaded on our platforms,” Mpuuga said.
The SEATINI Executive Director, Jane Nalunga told the LOP said that there are several bilateral investment treaties whose status is not known, yet they are binding on Ugandans.
“This is what we want to flag out. Maybe we need to re-assess the Ratification of Treaties Act. It says, if it is not a war…things can pass through cabinet, somebody can be able to go and sign…just inform cabinet, lays before parliament and it is done. Today, I doubt whether our government knows how many treaties we have signed, where they are, who signed them, what are our obligations under those treaties,” said Nalunga.
She emphasized that there is need to get facts about these commitments since any treaty signed by a government official is binding on Ugandans.
LOP Mpuuga concurred and pledged to take the matter to the floor of the House and demand for answers from the Executive and establish facts around the different commitments.
The Leader of Opposition noted that a lot seems to be going on without the knowledge of parliament and that the red flag raised by SEATINI should enable MPs further questions and get to understand, who is signing what on behalf of Ugandans.
“We need to inquire into these contradictions and get to understand whether there are people signing on our behalf when we actually can read and write. It is very possible and feasible for African leaders to be compromised and they sign with full knowledge that they are signing something bad,” the LOP added.
