Petitioners engage AG on term limits for office bearers

Isaac Mwanza

Twenty Two citizens who petitioned the National Assembly to limit terms for Councillors and members of parliament have also engaged the Attorney General to consider amending the law.

According to a letter dated October 19, 2017 addressed to the Attorney General and signed by the lead petitioner Isaac Mwanza, the petitioners have requested for the deletion of Articles 106 (2) and 154 (2)(b) of the Constitution, so that Members of Parliament can only run for two terms.

Mr. Mwanza, who is also Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Governance Advisor, says the petitioners have noted that the law on term limits has, since 24 August, 1991, selectively been applied to target elective offices of President and Mayors or Council Chairpersons to the exclusion of other elective offices.

He says the petitioners proposed the addition of clauses which would limit terms.

He says last week, the National Assembly referred the petition to the Ministry of Justice who, the Assembly said, are making holistic amendments to the Constitution.