Museveni minister supports proposal to scrap term limits, downsize parliament

SOROTI, UGANDA: The State Minister for Fisheries, Hellen Adoa has backed the Opposition leaders’ views regarding the reduction of the size of Parliament.

Adoa, who is also the elected Woman MP representing Serere District in the 10th Ugandan Parliament also supported the idea by the Opposition that MPs should not be appointed as ministers.

The argument of the Opposition is that the move would save the nation grappling with inadequate finances to facilitate projects that support people in villages.

However, the Government of Uganda is yet to set up a constitutional review commission to gather views to contribute to the amendment of the Constitution, which will in turn effect changes in the electoral laws.

Currently, Uganda has 32 cabinet ministers and 55 ministers of state, while the number of MPs stands at 529 MPs, which is the biggest number in the East Africa Community.

Minister Adoa who was speaking at the opening of the regional constitutional reforms consultative meeting in Soroti City also proposes that each district should have two MPs where one a woman and the other a man.

“There is no need of having each county having a representative in parliament because two leaders can ably manage to deliver adequate representation in parliament,” Adoa said.

“As a woman MP, who works for the entire district, I get the same salary as a county MP,” she added.

If Adoa’s proposal is to be adopted and considered by Parliament as a law, Uganda shall have only 292 MPs.

Recently the Opposition held a workshop on constitutional reforms where they raised the issue of reducing the size of Parliament and Cabinet.

Adoa also supported the restoration of term limits, but wanted it to apply to all elected leaders.

“It shouldn’t be for the President alone, but even to LC1s [chairpersons] because there are LC1s who have been LCs since 1986. MPs should not also be in parliament for many years,” Adoa said.