Kampala Central MP Muhammad Nsereko has expressed concern that the creation of 46 constituencies will give President Yoweri Museveni’s ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) an “abnormal majority in the 11th Parliament.”
Nsereko was one of the few MPs who opposed the creation of the new counties, calling for equity in the split of Kampala’s divisions compared to other administrative units.
The MP also argued that more constituencies mean more burden to tax payers, majority of whom are from the capital Kampala, part of which he represents.
“In short, my people in Kampala must pay more taxes to sustain the new constituencies. This is unacceptable,” he said.
The new counties will see the 11th Parliament have 527 MPs: 353 directly elected, 144 district women MPs; 10 UPDF representatives, and five for each of the other special interest groups (women, the elderly, people with disabilities).
Besides calling for equity in the creation of counties, Nsereko argues that the move to carve more constituencies out of existing ones “is just madness that is well calculated to create an abnormal majority in the 11th parliament.”
He has estimated that the opposition “shall need at least 180 members of parliament to deny the ruling party any sound majority in the next parliament.”
“I normally tell people that the strength of governance lies in Parliament. [The] new constituencies will only give the ruling party an unfair majority,” he wrote.
“Some people think rigging is only ballot stuffing or bribery. Gerrymandering is the highest form of rigging an election and we shall soon prove that.”
LIST OF NEW CONSTITUENCIES
1. Buhweju West
2. Buwekula South
3. Kiboga West
4. Lamwo East
5. Bugangaizi South
6. Chekwi East
7. West Budama Central
8. Kwania North
9. Buyanja East
10. Kagoma North
11. Ngariam
12. Agago West
13. Bukanga North
14. Bukimbiri
15. Nakaseke Central.
16. Kapir (Ngora district)
17. Butiru (Manafwa)
18. Kyoga North (Amolatar)
19. Napero West (Karenga)
20. Bukora East (Napak)
21. Nwoya East (Nwoya)
22. Namayingo South (Namayingo)
23. Elgon North (Bulambuli)
24. Samia Bugwe Central (Busia)
25. Mawogola West (Sembabule)
26. Otuke East (Otuke)
27. Ruhama East (Ntungamo)
28. Isingiro West (Isingiro)
29. Two county (Bukwo)
30. Okyero (Kaberamaido)
31. Soy (Kween)
32. Namisindwa (Namisindwa)
33. Gweli (Soroti)
34. Pingire (Serere)
35. Bukonko central (Mbale)
36. Aringa East (Yumbe)
37. Kyaka Central (Kyegegwa)
38. Ruhinda South (Mitooma)
39. Kyigai (Bududa)
40. Gogonya (Palisa)
41. Busiki North (Namutumba)
42. Maruzi North (Apac)
43. Rwampara East (Rwampara)
44. Bugangahizi (Kikuube)
45. West Budama North East (Tororo)
46. Dodoth North (Kaabong)
