By; Francis Lubega

07th July 2020

The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Ephraim Kamuntu has asked Members of Parliament to approve the Political Parties and Organisations Regulations for urgency needed to provide means to conduct internal elections of identifying flag bearers ahead of the 2021 polls.

Kamuntu alongside Attorney General William Byaruhanga and officials from the Electoral Commission was appearing before the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee which is currently collecting views from political players on the proposed Regulations and the revised election road map.

Tabled before Parliament on Thursday last week, the proposed regulations seek to guide the conduct of meetings and internal party elections at a time when the world is challenged with managing crowds in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the proposed regulation, the government seeks to waive the requirement of holding delegates conferences to determine party official candidates for different leadership positions.  Instead, it is suggested, that candidates be chosen by an electoral college and that the political Parties should hold virtual meetings through video conferencing, and circulate resolutions to members who are not physically present.

The members will then take a vote on major decisions by signing to assent or dissent. The parties will also be required to hold elections in a phased manner.

Now ahead of the Committee’s report presentation to parliament on Thursday, Kamuntu told legislators that since party elections and selection of party flag bearers is carried out by party organs that necessitate large congregations like delegates conferences, this method is likely to pose a significant risk to the population.

According to the revised 2021 general elections road map, political parties and Organisations are required to identify flag bearers between 22nd June and 21st July 2020 for special interest groups.

Byaruhanga laid before the MPs the legal grounding for the regulations to dispel accusations that claim the regulations are out to overthrow the constitutions of the respective political parties.

He stated that the Political Parties and Organisations Act in Section 10 directs parties in their internal organisations to comply with the provisions of the constitution in Article 71, 72 and 73.

Since Friday last week, a section of Opposition Political Parties including Justice Forum -JEEMA, Forum for Democratic Change and Democratic Party has appealed to the committee to reject the proposed Regulations saying that they intend to overthrow constitutions of different political parties and that they are undemocratic.


Tuesday 7th July 2020 05:55:04 PM