Bahati and Obua note that besides the issue of quorum on which Court based its ruling, the substance of the entire petition was not handled by court adding that, they are also looking into the other grounds which were raised in the petition by the activists.
David Bahati, the Ndorwa West County MP and his Moroto counterpart Benson Obua Ogwal have filed a notice in the office of the speaker seeking to retable the anti homosexuality bill. A panel of five Judges of the constitutional court nullified the Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2014 last month after it was challenged by pro gay activists on grounds that it was passed without quorum in the house.
In their ruling, the five justices including Steven Kavuma, the Acting Deputy Chief Justice Steven Kavuma, Augustine Nshimye, Eldad Mwangusya, Solomy Balungi Bossa and Rubby Aweri Opio concurred with the petitioners that there was no quorum when the bill was passed into law. They therefore nullified the the Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2014. At least a third of the legislators are required to vote to pass a bill into law. Now, this afternoon, Jacob Oulanya, the deputy speaker of parliament disclose that the two legislators had filed a notice to retable the anti-homosexuality bill.
At least 254 MPs have signed the notice indicating their support for the retabling of the anti-homosexuality bill. In the letter, the petitioners ask the speaker to allocate them time to retable the bill. Bahati and Obua note that besides the issue of quorum on which Court based its ruling, the substance of the entire petition was not handled by court adding that, they are also looking into the other grounds which were raised in the petition by the activists. Jacob Oulanyah says parliament will await the re-introduction bill and then handle it appropriately. He said they will proceed with the bill immediately they finish the budget if the movers of the bill are ready.
//Cue in: “the authority that…..
Cue out:…..how to proceed”//
Meanwhile, the NRM caucus chaired by President Yoweri Museveni early last month agreed to form a committee of nine members chaired by Vice President Kiwanuka Sekandi to analyze constitutional issues related to the bill and report back to the caucus within a space of one month.
