Why Won’t Some MPs’ leave affirmative seats?
The affirmative action for youth, women and disabled in Parliament was introduced by the 1995 Uganda Constitution, Section 32 “Affirmative Action in Favor of Marginalized groups”.
It was supposed to give a voice to what many considered lacking in terms of representation in Parliament.
However, one would naturally think that after a member of Parliament has held the same seat for over 10 years, they would be emancipated enough to go and compete in the General seats but this is not the case.
In the 10th Parliament we still have members of Parliament who are back on affirmative action seats like the Speaker Hon Rebecca Kadaga, who is listed as one of Uganda’s powerful women. She would be able to take on any man or woman running at any constituency but no, she prefers to run under district woman MP.
MP Ogwal Cecilia is the opposition chief-whip who will be serving her 5th term in the 10th parliament, that is 25 years in Parliament. Ogwal is among the most respected members of Parliament and as such, the speaker normally gives extra time in respect to her age, each time she speaks on the floor of Parliament.
With her seniority in Parliament, you would think she has been emancipated enough, but she still contests on “woman district MP card”. There are other MPs like Alex Ndeez who have represented disabilities have not paved way for others to replace them in Parliament.
Is it possible to have term limits for all the affirmative seats? So that no one is allowed to serve more than 2 terms in office? That way, we not only give others a chance to serve, but also have new faces that will probably come with new ideas.
Below is a list of some of Uganda’s longest serving MPs [25 years +]
- Sam Kahamba Kutesa (NRM)
- Crispus Kiyonga (NRM)
- Kahinda Orafiire (NRM)
- Henry Kajura Muganwa (NRM)
- Amama Mbabazi(NRM)
- Adolf Mwesige (NRM)
- John Nasasira (NRM,
- Elly Tumwine (NRM)
- Gilbert Bukenya (NRM)
- 10.Edward K Ssekandi (NRM)
- Rebecca Kadaga (NRM)
- Syda Bbumba (NRM)
- Daudi Migereko (NRM)
- Jim Muhwezi (NRM)
- 15.Ruth Nankabirwa (NRM)
- Khiddu Makubuya (NRM)
- Emmanuel Dombo (NRM)
- Reagan Okum (FDC)
- Alex Onzima (Indpt)
- Bakka Bulindi (NRM)
- Hood Katuramu (NRM)
- Felix Okot-Ogong (NRM)
- Margaret Babadiri (NRM)
- Michael Werikhe (NRM)
- Peter Lokeris (NRM)
- Sam Lyomoki (NRM)
- Phinehas K Manoni (NRM)
- Katumba Wamala (NRM)
- Rose Namayanja (NRM)
- Vincent Nyanzi (NRM)
- Alex Ndezi (NRM)
- Kabakumba Masiko (NRM)
- Geoffrey Ekanya (FDC)
- Cecilia Ogwal (FDC)
There are many of the long serving MPs who were ousted in this 10th Parliament, Others opted out like Amama Mbabazi and John Nasasira.
Those who lost Include: Geoffrey Ekanya (FDC), Sam Kahamba Kutesa (NRM) Crispus Kiyonga (NRM) Kahinda Orafiire (NRM), Henry Kajura Muganwa (NRM, Gilbert Bukenya (NRM), Jim Muhwezi (NRM) among others.
Maybe what Uganda needs is term limits for both Members of Parliament and the Presidency.
