Parliament unanimously passed a proposal in the Parliamentary Elections Amendment Bill 2020, creating five additional seats for elderly representatives.This will see the number of MPs rise to 527 in 2021.
The Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hon Ephraim Kamuntu, tabled the Parliamentary Elections (Amendment) Bill 2020, which proposed the legal regime for the creation of the seats that have been endorsed by Parliament.
Dokolo District Woman Representative Cecilia Ogwal moved swiftly to second the motion and asked Parliament to suspend several Rules of Procedure that provide for the process of handling a Bill such that parliament can consider the piece of legislation immediately without scrutiny at the committee stage
Nansana municipality MP Robert Kasule noted that whereas the elderly are being represented right from the lowest village level, the same representation hasn’t been extended at Parliament level.
The five elderly representatives to parliament shall be elected by members of each district council for elderly persons.Each region i.e Central, East, West and North will have an elderly representative and then one National female representative to have a total of five representatives.
The elderly now joins the army, youth and women as the latest interest group in the House.