The National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED) party President, Joseph Kabuleta, has asked Ugandans to refuse intended reforms that will see only Members of Parliament (MPs) as the ones to vote for the president.
While speaking to the media at the NEED headquarters in Rubaga on Monday, September 23, 2024, Kabuleta said that the intended reforms will deprive Ugandans of their rights to choose a president of their choice.
“We are aware that the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Nobert Mao, is to present reforms before cabinet, and we are aware that among the reforms there is a call for parliament to be the one to vote for the president, and this will deny Ugandans their right to choose their own president,” Kabuleta said.
Kabuleta also said that these reforms are targeted to be effective in the next parliament and are meant to usher in General Muhoozi as president.
“After trying to popularize Muhoozi and things have failed, this move is intended to favor the first son, Muhoozi, because he can’t convince Ugandans to be president but will be easy to convince at least 500 MPs after giving them money,” he added.
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He further asked fellow opposition MPs to raise now and reject the reforms instead of waiting for them to be adopted first and then try to fight after being accepted in parliament.
“I call upon all fellow opposition leaders to stand up now and talk about this issue now before it is already adopted by cabinet and introduced to parliament,” Kabuleta noted.
The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Norbert Mao, who also doubles as the President General for the Democratic Party, intends to present electoral reforms, but the full details of the proposed reforms are yet to be disclosed to the public.
During a media address on September 17, 2024, at the party headquarters on Balintuma Road, the DP vice president, Mukasa Mbide, said that among the reforms that Mao was suggesting was for the court to allow the petitioners of the presidential election more time to collect and file evidence.
The current time allowed by the constitution is only 30 days from the day of elections, which many people say is little time for petitioners to have all the evidence gathered from around the country to file a good petition.
