The government of Uganda has rejected the proposal to hold elections for the Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LOP) after a prolonged conflict in proposal representation.
The proposal tabled by the Mityana County South Member of Parliament, Richard Lumu, seeks to alter the mode of selection of LOP and other positions reserved for the opposition in Parliament.
However, the Deputy Attorney General, Jackson Kafuuzi, contended that the bill undermines the power of free will given to every citizen by the constitution and the state exercise for regular free and fair elections.
In a written statement to the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee dated November 11, 2024, Kafuuzi spelled out the government’s views on the Administration of Parliament Amendment Bill.
According to Kafuuzi, allowing other opposition parties to elect LOP is a contradiction of the mandate given by the people for the Leader of Opposition in Parliament to be elected from another party.
“We observe that the selection of the Leader of Opposition in Parliament is determined by the internal procedures of the opposition party, which are more of a policy nature than a legal nature,” he said.
Read Also: UPC Beseech Parliament to drop Lumu Bill
He further said that through exercising this mandate, the people elect their Members of Parliament, who are ranked with the largest party being the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party and the second party being the party with the greatest numerical strength in opposition to the government in Parliament, drawn from the will of the people through free and fair elections.
Kafuuzi criticized government interference in the mandate of the party in opposition, noting that the government possesses the greatest numerical strength in Parliament, therefore disregarding the freedom to a free and fair election.
Lumu was granted leave from Parliament to review the bill, a requirement in the House rules. This was during the regional plenary sittings held in Gulu city on August 29, 2024.
