Democratic Party being the crusaders of constitutionalism and rule of law continues to condemn scrapping off of the right to apply for bail on capital offences, as the legal department of the party we are inclined to guard this right jealously. The law as is matters of bail is sufficient, it should not be tampered with.

The Members of Parliament should know this is a trap for them, if they accept to be used to remove the right to apply for bail they will have created a tool of oppression which will be used against anybody including themselves, I speak to my colleagues as an advocate who has been in practice for long.

It should be noted that the independence of the judiciary is already holed up, an attempt to reduce the power of judicial officers in determining matters of bail application will only serve to fail the judicial independence further, whether the president’s move succeeds or not, this debate in itself has the effect of influencing Judicial officers with fiduciary relations with the President as the same would be moved to exercise such power but to satisfy the desires of the patron because this debate has made it clear.

We, therefore, refuse out rightly the proposals of scrapping off the right to apply for court bail and police bond from suspects of capital offences as this would amount to incriminating the suspects before trial in courts of law, in fact removing bail application on some cases is mob justice in itself. It should be condemned.

Stimulus Package for Private Schools

Today being international teachers’ day, I believe the only gift you can give to teachers is to have their jobs protected, therefore, given that schools have been closed for a period of close to two years, some won’t be able to open especially those that we’re renting their premises, the landlords terminated the contracts with school proprietors for failure to pay rent. These schools have been helpful to Ugandans in various parts of the country therefore money should be earmarked to get them back on the road of offering education services.

In the same spirit, it is time for the government to establish Non-Performing Debt Trust under the Ministry of Finance for School proprietors that got loans, it was ill advise from Minister that the school owners should sell off their property to pay loans, let the government take over and pay the non-performing loans acquired by school proprietors who shall pay after the resumption of schools.

Revive Cooperative Societies

The government has earmarked over 200billions for Emyooga, it is, however, focusing on production only without considering the creation of the market where the product will be sold, we, therefore, advise that the government revives cooperative societies that will provide the market for the products especially agricultural.

Thank you
Hon. Lumu Richard
MP Mityana South Constituency
Dep. Legal Advisor