However, Uganda Radio Network (URN)'s fact check shows that Eastern Uganda which comprised of sub-regions categorized as Elgon, Kiira, and Eastern (Teso), has a total of 144 Members of Parliament. These represent a total of 101 constituencies, 40 districts and three special interest group representatives; one for the youth, the elderly and the other representing persons with disabilities.
Eastern Uganda has more Members of
Parliament compared to the other regions. The current composition of
Parliament gives the eastern region a total of 144 legislators, followed by the western region
which has 135 seats.
This is in
a contradiction of a map circulating on social media indicating that the Western region has 270 legislators, far above the other regions, whose
representation has been put below 100 MPs each. The map gives the
Central Region 91 seats, 84 seats to the northern region and 81 MPs to
the Eastern part of the country.
Although the map
is not factual, it has been widely shared on social media platforms and
sparked a debate on the unequal distribution of political power and
seats in the legislature.
However, Uganda Radio
Network
(URN)'s fact check shows that Eastern Uganda which comprised of
sub-regions categorized as Elgon, Kiira, and Eastern (Teso), has a total
of 144 Members of Parliament. These represent a total of 101
constituencies, 40 districts and three special interest group
representatives; one for the youth, the elderly and the other representing persons
with disabilities.
Of the directly elected MPs, 45 are from Elgon sub-region, 32 are from Kiira sub-region and 24 are from Teso.
The
representatives from the Western region are from 93
constituencies, 39 districts and three special interest group representatives (Youths, PWD's and the elderly). The South-Western part of the country
has 53 MPs, the Midwest (which covers districts in Tooro and Rwenzori)
has 19 MPs, and 21 MPs are from the Albertine region, also known as
Bunyoro.
In
the North, there are a total of 83 constituencies, 41 districts,
and three special interest group representatives, giving the region a total of 127 MPs. These include 40 legislators from
the areas of Acholi and Lango, 26 from West Nile, and 17 in Karamoja
sub-region.
The central region has 76
constituencies, 26 districts, and three representatives of special interest groups giving it 105 MPs. Of the directly
elected MPs, 25 are in the Greater Kampala which covers the districts of
Kampala, Mukono, Wakiso, Buvuma, and Buikwe. The area of Central North
(Mubende, Nakaseke, Luwero, Nakasongola, and Kayunga among others), has 19 MPs, while Central
South
(Greater Masaka) has 32 legislators.
The total number of MPs from constituencies and district seats in the next parliament will be 499, who will be joined by 30 representatives of special interest groups bringing a total of 529
Members of Parliament. The special interest groups include 10 from the Army, Five Workers, Five PWD's, Five elderly and Five Youths.
The Minister of State for Local
Government Jenipher Kacha Namuyangu says that certain regions have
more constituencies than others because of different factors like the
population, the demand based on the challenges in the area, the landscape and
terrain among others.
Namuyangu gives an example of
the Ik County in Kabong district which has
only 14,000 people having a representation in Parliament simply because they are
a unique dialect and an MP from Kaabong who doesn’t speak the language may not
ably represent them.
Cue in; “Some of the…
Cue out…who cannot
communicate.”//
Last year, during the debate
in which 46 new constituencies were created, Kampala Central Member of
Parliament Mohammed Nsereko protested the creation of constituencies in areas with a smaller population.