Govt body wants two-term limit for Woman MPs

Mr Savior Kakooza, the head of legal affairs at the Commission, said yesterday that the affirmative action introduced through the 1995 Constitution should not be a preserve for a few. 

“For us, we think that we empower everyone. Let everyone be given an opportunity. Our position has been that if say a person has worked there for two, or three terms, that person is no longer vulnerable. They are already empowered. Why don’t they, at that point, just move out and directly compete with men,” he said.

Mr Kakooza pointed out that under Article 21 of the Constitution, “we are all equal before and under the law”. 

“Since someone has been empowered, let that person be there for two terms, and then the baton should be handed over to another vulnerable person,” he said.

Article 32 of the Constitution states: “Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, the State shall take affirmative action in favour of groups marginalised based on gender, age, disability or any other reason created by history, tradition or custom, for redressing imbalances which exist against them.”

Currently, the Parliament has 188 female MPs, of these 146 are district and city women MPs and 13 are directly elected under the affirmative action provisions; two are representatives of female youth, three represent persons with disabilities, two are workers representatives, three for older persons, and three are army representatives. There are also 15 ex-officio members as ministers appointed by the President.

Mr Kakooza said for affirmative action to remain meaningful, the founding principle that no one should be left behind should be enforced to the letter.

“Affirmative action is positive discrimination. If you look at our historical background, women were always left behind. When it comes to affirmative action, the essence of the spirit in which affirmative action was born into our laws was not to leave any person behind,” he said.

It is not clear how women representatives will react to the latest proposal. 
In 2013, Bugweri MP Abdu Katuntu, who was the then shadow attorney general, tabled a proposal to limit the terms of women representatives, but it was roundly rejected by female MPs who denounced their male colleagues as “dictators”.

We were unable to get responses from different women groups including Forum for Women in Democracy that has been training young women to take up leadership positions.

Under the 1995 Constitution, women parliamentary seats were ring-fenced to provide a steppingstone for them to climb onto the political podium.

While some have moved on to contest for directly elected seats, majority have remained in the affirmative action constituencies.

Among the longest serving district women MPs is the former Speaker of Parliament, Ms Rebecca Kadaga, who joined the fray in 1989 and has always contested the Kamuli District Woman MP seat. 

In contrast, current Gender and Labour minister, Ms Betty Amongi, who is Oyam South MP, only ran for two terms on the affirmative action seat before shifting to the directly elected position where she has trounced men on two occasions.

The EOC annual report on the state of equal opportunities in Uganda in 2022/2023 indicated the failings of affirmative action.

“…since the majority of the women who go to Parliament do so on the affirmative action ticket, this has become a disadvantage to women as many people believe that this is the only way they can be elected to Parliament, and hence reserve the direct seats for the men. Therefore, more needs to be done with regards to empowerment of women to ensure equal competition and representation…,” the report said.

Reactions from female leaders

Joyce Bagala, Mityana  Woman MP: It is a welcome idea, let them bring the proposal. Whether it will be supported or not, that’s another matter.

Sarah Achieng Opendi, Tororo Woman MP: Why are they trying to target women? They know that the society we are living in is so parochial and really doesn’t value women.

Hellen Nakimuli, Kalangala Woman MP: We should consider reinstating term limits for all political offices. Singling out one position is equivocal and unserious.

Kaaya Nakimwero, Kiboga Woman MP: They should put a limit such that they enable more women to come on that post.

Miria Matembe, women rights activist: Why should you limit women. They [women] go there [Parliament] to influence the direction so that things change.

Alice Alaso, former Serere Woman MP: The problem is that instead of looking for term limits for the President they are looking at term limits for Woman MPs.

Betty Nambooze, MP Mukono Municipality: There is a need to review these affirmative seats, not only for women but all the other affirmative seats to see their relevance.

*Additional reporting by Priscilla Maloba & Sylivia Katushabe