The rebel without an cause, has an issue with comrades or the fellow Yellow MPs in Parliament, who suddenly rebel against him. That is so endearing. It is so sweet, that he struggles and beats on the NRM Rebel MPs. It is like a beautiful fan-fiction. That he even remind that the Constitutional Court got the case changed by the Supreme Court on the interpreted article of 83 out of the Constitution.
The President is really rich in this manner. Museveni thinks his smart, but he isn’t that clever. Since, there are no place where the law says a NRM MP has to vote with the party. Only a certain quorum and rules for how the MPs can vote. If it is by voice or secret voting. There are stipulations for that, but not statutes nor articles, saying that you have to follow party line and be loyal to whatever cause or law the NRM see fit. That is not put in any law nor code, as such is foolish at best.
That is why yesterdays defence for getting people registered to vote is a weird text at best. I am only discussing the NRM rebellion and why he has a hissy-fit. Because, the President is only fool and nothing else in this matter.
President statement yesterday:
“In our own Parliament we have had that problem of the “Rebel MPs”, elected as NRM but conduct themselves like they are not NRM. The Constitutional Court made a mistake because when we asked them to interprete Article 83 that we deliberately put in the Constitution to solve the problem of the 1960s, they interpreted it in such a manner that the MP can do what they want. That the MPs do not have to get permission from those who elected them to do what they are supposed to do. It is a very dangerous disconnection, that of non-accountability” (Yoweri Kaguta Museveni – ‘PRESIDENT URGES UGANDANS TO REGISTER FOR 2020/21 GENERAL ELECTIONS’ 19.12.2019).
Article 83 of the 1995 Constitution:
“83. Tenure of office of members of Parliament.
(1) A member of Parliament shall vacate his or her seat in Parliament—
(g) if that person leaves the political party for which he or she stood as a candidate for election to Parliament to join another party or to remain in Parliament as an independent member;
(Constitution, 1995).
Supreme Court judgement of 2015:
“The continued stay in Parliament of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th respondents as Members of Parliament after their expulsion from the NRM Party on whose ticket they were elected is contrary to and inconsistent with Articles 1(1), 2(1), 2(4), 29(1)(e), 69(1), 72(4), 78(1)(a), and 79(3) of the Constitution” (…) “To conclude on this ground, we are of the view that the majority of Justices in the Constitutional Court erred when they interpreted Article 83(1)(g) to mean that members of Parliament who are expelled from their political parties have to vacate their seats in Parliament by virtue of that Article. It was, therefore, wrong for the Constitutional Court to order the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th appellants to vacate their seats in Parliament on that ground. Accordingly ground 4 must succeed” (Supreme Court – Constitutional Appeal No. 01 of 2015, October 2015).
So we have seen the train of thought. That the President has set and fixed a narrative. He has to speak in third person, even as they are supposed to follow him and he uses the NRM as a prefix for that. That is why if a NRM MP vote with the opposition, they are wrong, even if it might be in the interest of the constituents.
He has a problem, that the Constitutional Court interpreted the article wrong. That he cannot expel an MP and get a by-election. This would be a proper tool to ensure the right loyal cadres would be harness and he wouldn’t have to pay them to vote his way. That is why his mad at the Courts, though if he remembered correctly, the Constitutional Court was in-favour of the President, but the Supreme Court validated the rebels.
The expelled MPs didn’t leave, but was forced to go by no action of their own. Except doing something to get expelled. If that was acting like a punk at Kyankwanzi or voting against the interest of the State House. The President wants the magical wand to either have pro-NRM, super-loyalists, who follow him blindly and who doesn’t think.
The rebels are maybe wrong in the eyes of the President. But they are allowed and free to vote, write statements or acting accordingly to their own conscience. They are not children, who need parental advice and guidance to act rightfully within the August House. That is why Museveni has a problem, as the paternal godfather of the Republic.
This is really endearing of the President. As he thinks this is wise to say, as he cannot even pick the right court to blast. The Constitutional Court did a wrong, but rebels are not aliens, which the Court Judgement of the Supreme Court states.
If Museveni really believes his still a freedom fighter, how come he has an issue, that his own MPs has the liberty to accordingly to their own conscience?
Enough bullshit. Peace.
MinBane 