Some Members of Parliament from Bunyoro have openly supported the restoration of the presidential term limits even before the matter comes up for discussion in parliament.
The MPs including Ernest Kiiza for Masindi Municipality and Chairman Bunyoro Parliamentary caucus and James Kiiza Rwebembera from Bugahya county in Hoima district.
The two NRM legislators made their stand clear in an interview with Uganda Radio Network shortly after a fundraising drive for Bulyango Christian Fellowship Church in Hoima district on Sunday.
Ernest Kiiza argues that the restoration of term limits will not only help the country easily get rid of bad leaders who may come after President Yoweri Museveni but it will also provide the incumbent president with another fresh two terms of office.
Kiiza says as the party they hope Uganda needs to be nurtured to maturity in multiparty democracy and the only person that can do this is President Yoweri Museveni.
As the Bunyoro parliamentary caucus chairman Kiiza vows to lobby other caucus members to support the motion once it’s tabled for discussion.
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James Kiiza Rwebembera says the restoration of term limits will help leaders to leave office when they are still being cherished by the people.
Formally Hoima LC5 Chairperson, Rwebembera says he is still adored for what he did for Hoima simply because he left before the electorate got tired of him.
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This is the first time Bunyoro legislators seem to be willing to openly comment and support parliamentary issues especially those against government interests.
They have always been passive when it comes to such controversial issues, the most recent one being the oil debate in October last year, where most of the Bunyoro legislators had less or nothing to contribute at all.
Legislators led by Western youth MP Gerald Karuhanga are planning to introduce a private member’s Bill to push parliament to debate the restoration of presidential term limits to the original two five-year terms effective 2016. Close to 60 legislators, including NRM members, have already signed Karuhanga's petition.
The Presidential term limits were abolished in 2005 after government tabled a constitutional amendment that scrapped Article 105(2) of the constitution which provided for a maximum of two five- year terms of office for the president.
The ruling NRM parliamentary caucus is due to meet President Yoweri Museveni this week at State House Entebbe, where the issue of term limits is likely to feature.
