Minister Namuganza Petitions Court To Challenge Parliament’s Move To Censure Her
State Minister for Lands, Persis Namuganza has petitioned the Civil Division of the High Court in Kampala to challenge the recent decision by parliament to censure her over what they termed as misconduct.
In the suit, Namuganza, who is also the Bukono County legislator accused parliament of not giving her a fair hearing before being censured and not given sufficient time to prepare and respond to the allegations made against her before the select committee and therefore findings of the committee’s report were null and void.
“Parliament on January 6, 2023, appointed and approved a seven-member select committee to investigate to investigate the applicant with the aim of establishing a prima facie case against her by the appointment of the committee was done in contravention of the law and the rules of procedure of parliament and is riddled with procedure irregularities,” Namuganza’ petition reads in part.
According to Namuganza, the tabling of the report by the committee and passing of the resolution by parliament to censure her were all marred by irregularities that contravened the constitution, the law and the principles of natural justice.
“The report has findings against the applicant which were arrived at without according her a fair hearing, an opportunity to be heard and are therefore illegal, irrational and procedurally improper.”
She further revealed that four of the members of the select committee are among the people who appended signatures signifying support for the motion to censure her yet they had already pronounced themselves on the motion which was improper.
“Being signatories to the censure process and members of the select committee, they acted as complainants, prosecutors and judges in their own case,” she avers.
Now Namuganza wants the court to issue an order quashing the findings and recommendations of the select committee of parliament on the motion that led to her censure.
“The applicant seeks an order quashing the resolution of parliament censuring the applicant from the office of a minister in the government of Uganda,” her petition reads.
Namuganza also seeks a court order to expunge the report by the select committee from the records of parliament but also stop the Attorney General and his agents from executing the resolution of parliament and the report of the select committee to censure her.