During a Monday morning debate on NBS Television, Nyendo-Mukungwe MP Mathias Mpuuga accused Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Norbert Mao of making false promises regarding long-awaited electoral reforms.
Mpuuga, the former Leader of the Opposition and controversial vice president of National Unity Platform (NUP) for central Uganda criticized Mao, accusing him of peddling empty promises akin to “carrying around voting ink cans with no ink” and offering them as reforms. He claimed that Mao had not presented any tangible proposals, describing the minister’s statements as “hot air.”
“Mao’s assurances are merely an attempt to pacify the hopeful, but no real progress has been made,” Mpuuga stated. “There’s not even a draft on paper.”
In response, Minister Mao, during a phone interview, dismissed Mpuuga’s allegations, insisting that the reforms would soon be officially introduced as government bills.
“Mpuuga should stop using my name to push his personal agenda. Ugandans need to be patient; the reforms are coming,” Mao said.
Mpuuga, on the other hand, pledged to introduce his own set of electoral reforms in Parliament. He revealed plans to submit seven bills, including one that would reinstate presidential term limits.
“We must preserve Uganda’s tradition of lawmaking, regardless of the skepticism some of my reformist colleagues may hold,” Mpuuga said.
The Supreme Court first ordered electoral reforms in 2001 following Dr. Kizza Besigye’s challenge of the election results. More orders came in 2006, yet little action was taken. After the 2016 elections, Amama Mbabazi, a former ally of President Museveni, also contested the results in court, which led to further calls for reform. Despite the Supreme Court’s directive to extend the time frame for filing election petitions from 30 to 60 days, no changes were made.
Minister Mao, who is also the Democratic Party president, remains confident. He compared his efforts to a cook preparing a meal, assuring Ugandans that they would soon “smell the aroma of the cookies” when the reforms are ready.
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