Constitutional Expert and Scholar Strongly Opposes Proposed Shift to Parliament Democracy in Uganda’s Electoral System
In a recent high-level stakeholders conference on constitutional reforms held in Kampala, renowned scholar and member of the 1995 Constitutional Commission, Professor Fredrick Ssempebwa, vehemently criticized rumored proposals to change Uganda’s election system to a parliamentary democracy. The proposed system suggests that Members of Parliament (MPs) would elect the president, a notion that Professor Ssempebwa firmly rejected.
During the conference, Professor Ssempebwa expressed his concerns, emphasizing the importance of a direct election for the nation’s top leadership position. He argued that the current system, where the people have the opportunity to assess the merits of a national leader and cast their votes, should be retained. According to him, allowing MPs to choose the president could lead to a situation where a leader disliked by the majority of the nation could be elected without proper public scrutiny.
“A top leader should be elected, the president should be elected. For me to stand by, cheer my party, and say when you win I walk in. You don’t know my credentials because I may be someone who is greatly disliked by the whole nation. We have a chance to assess the merits of a national leader and give him or her a vote. I think this is an opportunity that we need to retain,” said Professor Ssempebwa.
Contrary to the rumored proposals, Deputy Attorney General Jackson Kafuzi denied claims of any intention to change the election system in 2022. However, the debate resurfaced during the constitutional reforms conference, where Professor Ssempebwa’s strong opposition to the parliament democracy model echoed throughout the event.
Meanwhile, Mr. Lewis Rubongoya, the Secretary-General of the National Unity Platform (NUP) party, urged leaders to shift their focus towards addressing what he termed “impunity” surrounding the current electoral laws. Rubongoya stressed the importance of ensuring that existing electoral laws are fully implemented before engaging in academic debates about potential reforms.
“Let us not have an academic debate about electoral reforms and condemn the impunity,” urged Mr. Rubongoya, emphasizing the need to prioritize the enforcement of current electoral laws.
The conference, organized by the Uganda National NGO Forum and supported by USAID among other partners, serves as a platform for various stakeholders to engage in discussions about constitutional and electoral reforms. As the debate on Uganda’s electoral system continues, the strong opposition voiced by Professor Ssempebwa adds a significant perspective to the ongoing discourse.