Opposition Chief Whip in Parliament, Kassiano Wadri, says the nine ministers who were recently suspended from cabinet, wont be sworn in as ex-officio Members of Parliament.
He says the President is the only person allowed to appoint ten ex-officio MPS and that adding more nine nominees would be contrary to the constitution.
Wadri says the opposition would block any attempts to swear in the nine ministers.
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On March 2nd, Khiddu Makubuya, the Attorney General, wrote to President Museveni advising him to exercise his discretion as the appointing authority, to choose between sacking the nine ministers and forwarding their names to Parliament for fresh vetting.
Wadri however says the nine ministers can not be vetted for appointment of ministers and later being sworn in as ex-officio members of parliament, unless if the President sacks some of the ex-officio MPS in Parliament to create room for the nine.
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Ex- Officio Members of Parliament receive all the benefits of MPs, but they are not allowed to vote in Parliament.
The ministers appointed as ex-officio MPs have in the past asked to be paid as Members of Parliament.
The Nine ministers who include, James Nsaba Buturo, Jennifer Namuyangu, Fred Mukisa , Isaac Musumba, Agrey Bagire , urban Tibamanya , Simon Ejua and Omara Atubo and Asuman Kiyingi lost their seats in Parliament following the constitutional court ruling in a petition files by George Owor. Dr. James Nsaba Buturo has since resigned from his ethics and Integrity Ministry office while others are hanging on awaiting President Museveni’s decision.
Judges of the Constitutional Court unanimously ruled that by seeking for re-election on party tickets other than those on which MPs and ministers were elected to 8th Parliament, they were deemed to have lost their seats.
NRM Whip, Daudi Migereko could not be reached for a comment.
