The Attorney General William Byaruhanga has said the electoral reforms are not targeting Kyadondo East Member of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine.
Last week, government tabled the Presidential Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the Parliamentary Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2019, Electoral Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the Political Parties and Organization (Amendment), 2019 and the Local Governments (Amendment) Bill No.21, 2019.
Under these bills, government’s proposed reforms include barring of cameras and phones at polling areas, barring of candidates from running as independents after participating in a party primary, barring of independent presidential candidates from forming an alliance with any political party, security personnel to vote five days ahead of the official polling date.
With the reforms, many politicians especially from the opposition side concluded that some provisions are targeting independents specifically the People Power leader who is becoming a thorn in the flesh of the ruling party NRM after he announced his presidential bid come 2021.
However, addressing journalists at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala on Tuesday, Byaruhanga said the electoral reforms are not targeting individuals as the media is assuming.
“That provision is not there and if it is anywhere, let someone show it to me. The reforms are not here to target Bobi Wine and if in any case, he should be buying me a beer,” said Byaruhanga.
“The new reforms in fact are supporting him by saying you can associate with any political party.”
The Attorney General said that one of the provisions suggests that a person elected to parliament as an independent may form an alliance with a registered political party or an organization adding that forming of such an alliance shall not be construed as joining that organization.
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