UGANDA: Elderly Want Parliament Seats

KAMPALA, Uganda (New Vision), February 15, 2008: Elderly people have demanded representation in Parliament. In 10-page petition signed by over 100 elders, they observed that there was need for older persons to also be represented at other levels of decision-making such as local councils. "Five members of our association should be elected to Parliament as is the case with other special interest groups like people with disabilities, the youth, workers and women," reads part of the petition to Parliament. Quoting Section 118 of the Local Government (Amendment) Act 2005, they said two councilors representing the elderly should be elected by the associations of the elderly forming an electoral college at the district council level. However, the chairman of the Electoral Commission, Dr. Badru Kiggundu, recently told the parliamentary committee on equal opportunities that there was no law allowing the election of elders' representatives at any level of governance. He was responding to the petition. By Paul Kiwuuwa, Kampala Copyright © 2008 New Vision.