Uganda Law Reform Commission (ULRC) Chairperson,Vastina Rukimirana

The long awaited Marriage and Divorce Bill is still facing resistance from some MPs and a cross section of the public who say though it has been amended; it does not address all the concerns earlier raised against it.

However, the Uganda Law Commission (ULC) has asked Parliament Speaker, the Rt.Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, to order the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs to table the bill before Parliament for the first reading.

According to Uganda Law Reform Commission (ULRC) Chairperson,Vastina Rukimirana, the title of the bill was  changed to the Marriage Bill and that the contentious cohabitation provision which previously stared arguments has been removed.

“We reviewed the bill along the recommendations from the numerous stakeholders. We agreed to remove all the controversial clauses,” she said.

MPs however, argue that they need to consult more with their voters to ensure that they are in agreement with the current amendments. Zombo District Woman MP,Grace Kwiyocwiny, who is also the State Minister for Northern Uganda says that she has no problem with the bill if the contentious issues are removed.

Buyaga West MP, Barnabas Tinkasimire, when contacted for a comment about the bill said that he will make a decision after consulting his constituents whereas his counterpart the Buyaga East MP, Eric Musana, said a lot of consultations will need to be done at the grass roots so that there is no pending issue like it was previously.

The Marriage and Divorce Bill is expected to be re-tabled in Parliament after proposed amendments were presented to Kadaga.

ULC had been had earlier been tasked by the Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister, Kahinda Otafire, to review the Bill hence its renaming and scrapping of the controversial clauses.

Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Kahinda Otafiire

Dubbed the Marriage Bill, the Commission made it more inclusive of all marriage types in the country while at the same time deleting all clauses such as the one on co-habitation that had earlier sparked outrage among citizens

Kadaga noted that rights for those cohabiting had to be protected especially for children born out such relationships, and for couples who had been together for over 30 years.

“Co-habitation is a reality; it is high time we stopped burying our heads in the sand. We need to protect the interests of these in the bill,” Kadaga said.

The Marriage and Divorce Bill, which came into the spotlight in 2009 was seen to be a platform to right the wrongs that were seen to done to women in marriage.

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Wandegeya Market constructed under MATIP Phase 1

Parliament has approved a loan, authorizing Government to borrow USD 84.2million from the African Development Bank to finance Phase 2 of the Market and Agriculture Trade Improvement Programme (MATIP 2). The programme aims at tackling market infrastructure development, value addition and trade facilitation. It will be implemented over a five year period in nine municipalities of Entebbe, Masaka, Mbarara, Arua, Moroto, Soroti, Tororo, Kasese, Busia; as well as in two town councils of Kitgum and Lugazi.

The Committee on National Economy, which considered the loan request, recommended having standard designs, quality work and evaluating the infrastructure. MATIP 2 is aimed at constructing 11 of the remaining 17 markets. The overall programme is expected to cost USD 93.7million, with a government contribution of USD 9.5million.

During the debate on Committee Report, legislators supported the loan request arguing that modern markets were a sign of development. Parliament Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga asked Government to be impartial in the implementation of the programme. “I need assurance from the Government that the rest of the regions without markets will also be considered,” the Speaker said.

The Minister of Local Government, Hon. Adolf Mwesige promised that the programme would be spread out to all parts of the country. “The first phase took four years, from 2010, to implement; we hope the second phase will be better, faster and more efficient with the purpose of stretching out to all regions of the country,” Hon. Mwesige said. He added that they would be able to iron out the defects in the completed markets and work around the recommendations of the Committee on National Economy for a successful Phase 2.

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We don’t know whether this one will please United States of America, England and other super powers that have interests in the political administration of Uganda. Every one would have expected Uganda to adopt rules, regulations and ordinances from USA or England. But the surprise is that among all countries Uganda wants to adopt rules of procedure from Philippine, Malawi, Zambia and Kenya.

A source in parliament of Uganda told our informer that Uganda wants to borrow a leaf from Philippine, Kenya, Malawi and Zambia where the parliament(s) there have more than two speakers of parliament. In Uganda, parliament has only two speakers: deputy speaker and parliament speaker.

The source says that government wants to have a panel of speakers to serve in the absence of the Deputy and Speaker of parliament.

However the members of opposition in Uganda say that the government wants to create a panel of speakers because the current speaker of parliament, Rebecca Kadaga has acted independently yet the ruling government wishes to have parliament speakers who nod on government terms all the time.

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Led y the Uganda Women’s Network, the women organsitions said the recent attacks on the speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga that she is corrupt are just diversionary and intended to divert the country from serious issues being handled by parliament under the leadership of Kadaga.

The women were reacting to media reports that millions of donor funds were diverted at the time   Kadaga was chairperson of FIDA Uganda.

Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga

The Chief Executive Officer FIDA Dr Maria Nassali told journalists at Parliament that the allegations that her organization lost money is not true and  such allegations were just  malicious to  tarnish the name of Kadaga.

The chairperson of Uganda Women Parliamentary Association Betty Amongi says as women of Uganda they will not allow anyone to derail Kadaga from the cause she has started.

She says it’s surprising for anyone to question the integrity of the Speaker at this time when she is objectively steering parliament and the public has big hope in her to lead the country.

By Isaac Senabulya

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The Vice President of FDC Proscovia Salam Musumbais says Hon. Rebecca Kadaga should relinquish her post in the NRM party to enable her lead the house in a neutral way.

Speaking to reporters today, Musumba says, the 9^th parliament has to show a difference from the 8^th parliament by serving the interests of Ugandans and not those of the party and this can be reached onto if the speaker is impartial.

Musumba also challenges the opposition to be bold and stand by their decision as they take on members of the NRM in the house.

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He however warned Ugandans to be conscious since the number of NRM MPS has increased. He said that with such numbers parliament may still be run through caucus saying that the speaker and the deputy speaker were elected in the caucus.  He however noted that the opposition will not give up saying that it will continue fighting.

Meanwhile the MP for Bugweri county Abdu Katuntu says that the new speaker should focus on restoring people’s confidence towards the institution of parliament.

He says that the confidence can be restored by being independent while handling parliamentary business. He says that all the decision made in parliament should be of interest to the public rather than being driven by the state.

Mafabi was defeated by Kadaga in an election that took place early this morning. Mafabi managed to get 57 votes while Kadaga got 302 votes.

By Isaac Senabulya

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Aruu County MP, Odonga Otto

Otto however says that the public shouldn’t expect much from the opposition side as they cannot do much to check the executive since the decisions will be done by the NRM MPS who are majority in the  house.

He says that opposition will not stop fighting but their fight may yield no results given their number

The FDC secretary general who is also the woman mp for serere district Alice Alaso however says that opposition’s participation in yesterdays election for Speaker of Parliament was mainly to show the public that they also have the alternative but not to win.

She says that they knew that they were not going to win due to their numbers in parliament but says that they are happy since their voice was also brought out. Alaso however promised to work with the current leadership as long they work for the public good.

Earlier on, FDC’s Budadiri West Mp, Nadala Mafabi also conceded defeat to NRM’s Alitwala Rebecca Kadaga in the race for Speaker of Parliament after the former got 57 votes to the latter’s 302 votes.

By Isaac Senabulya

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Speaker Edward SSekandi

The Speaker of Parliament Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi announced to MPs, in an emotional sitting, the end of the term of the Eighth parliament urging MPs to appreciate and embrace the multiparty political system.

He says that people should stop comparing the seventh parliament to the eighth parliament, since the 8^th Parliament was more challenging because it was the first under a multiparty political system.

Sekandi says that Mps on the government side came with one manifesto that the executive is trying to implement, but many wanted to debate like independents. He says that no one change the way business is being run in parliament unless the constitution is amended and Uganda returns to the no party movement system.

Speaker Ssekandi announced that the official proclamation for the end of the Eighth Parliament had already been signed and would be gazetted on May 18, the day the ninth Parliament would commence.

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