The move to censure Security minister Gen Elly Tumwine over contempt of parliament hangs in balance as MPs pussyfoot to sign the petition.
Last week, Gaffa Mbwatekamwa, Kasambya County MP moved a motion under Rule 98 of the Rules of Procedure to censure Minister Tumwine over contempt of parliament after he was continuously accused of stifling MPs’ oversight role to visit safe houses in the country.
The move to censure Gen Tumwine is mainly orchestrated by opposition legislators. However, with about 3 working days left, the petition is facing a major setback as MPs decline to sign it.
Apparently, less than 20 MPs have signed the petition out of the required about 150 signatures to sign a minister.
Whereas the Constitution in article 118 gives Parliament powers to censure a minister, Rule 98(5) of the Rules of Procedure requires at least one-third of the Members to append their signatures on the list signifying support for the proposed petition.
While addressing the media at parliament on Friday, the movers of the motion admitted that fellow MPs were not responsive, but remain optimistic that they will get the required signatures to censure Gen Tumwine before Thursday next week.
“It is very pitiful that our fellow MPs are giving excuses and putting their hands behind rather than supporting the resolution of parliament by signing the petition.
They [MPs] passed the resolution, but they are not turning up to sign the petition,” Theodore Ssekikubo (Lwemiyaga County) said.
Apparently, even most members of the Committee on Human Rights that pinned Gen Tumwine including Egunyu Nantume, the chairperson of the committee have not signed the petition.
“It is hardly 5 members of the committee that have signed this petition yet it is their report that prompted the censure motion. What is happening to the rest of the committee members and other MPs; they should explain to Ugandans why they have not signed the petition yet they adopted the motion on the floor of Parliament,”
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