Plenary: MPs Grill Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Hon Mao for Frustrating Formation of Constitution Review Commission.

📸: Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Hon Norbert Mao.

Gov’t has backed out of plans to establish a constitutional review Commission, citing lack of funds & has instead proposed to have this role to be undertaken by Uganda Law Reform Commission, yet the same entity is among the agencies set to be merged into the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.

"It is regrettable that the constitutional review commission hasn’t been constituted. In light of the financial constraints that we are facing, since we don’t have all the money for the constitutional review commission, we have decided to recommend to the President and Cabinet that the Uganda Law Reform Commission takes charge of the process," said Nobert Mao, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.

📸: Speaker of Parliament Rt Hon Annet Anita Among.

Mao's remarks were in response to a question by Speaker @AnitahAmong who asked the Minister to explain why Government is amending the Constitution in piece meal, yet there are several MPs that have expressed interest to do the same, but their efforts have been thwarted on pretext that their proposals would be handled by the Constitutional Review Commission.

"We want to know why we are having piece meal constitutional amendments and when do we have a constitutional review commission in place?" asked Among.

📸: Hon Dan Kimosho, Kazo County MP.

However, Dan Kimosho (Kazo County) wondered if the Minister was in order to tell half truths to Parliament by referring to the Uganda Law Reform Commission yet it is listed for rationalization.

“And they brought the bill (Constitutional Amendment Bill 2023) here, if we had accepted it, it would have already been merged. So what would happen in such a situation?” asked Kimosho. 

📸: Bukimbiri County MP Hon Eddie Kwizera.

Eddie Kwizera (Bukimbiri County) asked Minister Mao to explain when the law operationalising Article 127 of the constitution that requires public participation in the administration of justice, like holding public hearing during the appointment of what he termed corrupt judges will be put in place.

However, Speaker Anitah Among called out Kwizera for diverting Parliament from the debate on constitutional review Commission and asked him to table evidence of judges in Uganda being corrupt, or withdrawal his statement.

"I don’t want the perception that Parliament is saying that the judges are corrupt, that is a perceived perception you can’t justify corruption of judges and it shouldn’t come from this House, if you have evidence to that effect, that the judges are corrupt, please come and lay on table. Kindly withdraw that statement of corrupt judges, that can be handled at Committee," Among.