MPs want proposed fisheries bill declared law without president assenting to it
The bill, which was tabled before Parliament on September 28, 2021, sought to reform laws relating to the management of fisheries, fisheries products, and aquaculture.
A section of Members of Parliament from fishing communities has petitioned the Constitutional Court to declare into law the proposed Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill, even without the President’s assent.
The bill, which was tabled before Parliament on September 28, 2021, sought to reform laws relating to the management of fisheries, fisheries products, and aquaculture.
After passing the bill by Parliament on May 3, 2022, it was forwarded to President Yoweri Museveni for assent on May 25, 2022.
In his reply, the president noted that the rationale is that given the need for continuous surveillance and sophisticated ways employed by people involved in illegal fishing, support for both UPDF and the Uganda Police force was required.
The President added that the bill had not adequately defined a licensing officer and explained that defining a licensing officer as a Chief Fisheries Officer, or District Fisheries Officer, will cause confusion and can lead to malpractice.
The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Annet Among, subsequently referred to bill the Agriculture Committee and urged members to restrict themselves on the grounds that were raised by the President.
This process was concluded and on October 18 202, the second draft was sent to the president for assent.
Bbaale County MP, Charles Tebandeke ,and Susan Mugabi from Buvuma District, are bothered that President Yoweri Museveni has failed his statutory mandate on the Fisheries Bill.
Tebandeke told journalists at Parliament that the Speaker acted unlawfully and failed to cause a copy of the bill to be laid before the House for it to become law without the assent of the President in accordance with the Constitutional command.
Mugabi pointed out that the failure of the respondents; the Attorney General and the Speaker to ensure that the Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill is enacted into law to regulate the fisheries subsector is impeding socio-economic development while promoting torture and mistreatment of fishing communities.
The Ugandan Constitution provides that a bill may become law without the President’s assent if he returns it to Parliament two times.
