The leader of the Opposition in Parliament Mathias Mpuuga has warned that if the opposition does not join forces and fight for reforms in the current 1995 constitution, the 2026 elections will be a sigh of regret.
The Nyendo–Mukungwe lawmaker made these revelations a few days ago during an online interview program titled ‘Hard Question’ by the African Institute for Investigative Journalism where he revealed that Uganda as it is now, the current book of law is useless and cannot help to solve anything in the favor of the common Ugandans.
He noted that it would be prudent for Ugandans to go into the 2026 general elections with a new constitution because currently, the country works with a mutilated document that has been shattered and holed under one man’s interests at the expense of the majority of Ugandans.
“The current constitution was predicated on a two-term presidency, you are now having a life presidency. The makers of the Constitution never envisaged a powerful president appointing everyone, usurping all powers. It was on a decentralized system, we are now working on a centralized system, is this the same Constitution?” He asked.
Mpuuga believes that the conversation for the new Constitution by now would be in high gear because if Uganda goes to the 2026 polls with the current law book it will be a waste of time for the opposition.
“It will be the most unfortunate thing for the opposition to go to the polls with the same document!! With the electoral commission in the same shape! Remember we are not running a democracy, we are under the power of gun rule and for you to be able to crawl back on the gun rule, you must force some reforms so that you can empower people,” he said.
According to Mpuuga, it’s the duty of all members of the opposition to push for constitutional reforms as early as possible. He also noted that he doesn’t find it tenable to wait for the Constitutional Review by the government. For over the last three years, there have been vain attempts by the government to initiate constitutional and electoral reforms.
The move for constitutional reforms started some years back when the Hon. Wilfred Niwagaba, initiated Constitutional (Amendment) Bills. However, according to Mpuuga, this process was foiled to pave the way for the government process.
Mpuuga believes that the opposition in and outside Parliament needs to find the necessary motivation and drive to make these areas for reform rallying points for the entire country and all stakeholders in Uganda’s democratic processes.
He also believes that all stakeholders in Uganda such as the traditional and non-traditional leaders must be brought into this conversation. And it should become a matter of public duty and burden like most other citizenry obligations, not a preserve of politicians and their traditional allies.
Meanwhile, the current constitution is the fourth one since 1962. The 1995 Constitution of Uganda was promulgated on 8 October 1995 and restored all the traditional monarchies, except for the Kingdom of Ankole, but limited the Ugandan monarchs’ powers to cultural matters only.
However, it has been amended where Presidential term limits were removed, the age limit article was also removed, thus paving the way for a life presidency.
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