Parliament of Uganda

“ The Protectorate was making good progress until the war plunged African affairs everywhere into confusion. One effect of the war was to suspend the agitation at Nairobi and in the settled districts for some form of self-government, beginning with representation on the Legislative Council. Nor has the question of the reservation of the Highlands for European settlement advanced. A Bill was passed without opposition—scarcely without criticism—in the Imperial Parliament guaranteeing a loan of 3,000,000l. for the Protectorates of British East Africa, Uganda, and Nyasaland. ”

“ Salaries—expenses and so on come from home, voted by Parliament. As long as that condition lasts they’re all going to feel nervous. They know they’ll get the blame for everything that goes wrong, and precious little credit in any case. Parliament advertised the country in answer to their complaints of no revenue. Parliament called for settlers. But they’re not ready for settlers. They don’t know how to handle them. They’ve no troops—nothing but a handful of black police. How shall they keep in order colonials armed with repeating rifles? They’re not ready. The Uganda Railway isn’t finished yet ”

“ There shall be a Judicial Service Commission. (2) The Judicial Service Commission shall, subject to clause (3) of this article, consist of the following persons who shall be appointed by the President with the approval of Parliament— (a) a chairperson and a deputy chairperson who shall be persons qualified to be appointed as justices of the Supreme Court, other than the Chief Justice, the Deputy Chief Justice and the Principal Judge; (b) one person nominated by the Public Service Commission; (c) two advocates of not less than fifteen years’ standing nominated by the Uganda Law Society ”

“ No monies shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund except— (a) to meet expenditure charged on the fund by this Constitution or by an Act of Parliament; or (b) where the issue of those monies has been authorised by an Appropriation Act, a Supplementary Appropriation Act or as provided under clause (4) of this article. (2) No monies shall be withdrawn from any public fund of Uganda other than the Consolidated Fund, unless the issue of those monies has been authorised by law. ”

“ The payment of pension shall be prompt and regular and easily accessible to pensioners. 255. Right of citizens to demand referenda. Parliament may by law make provision for the right of citizens to demand the holding by the Electoral Commission of a referendum whether national or in any particular part of Uganda, on any issue. 256. Manner of administering oaths. The oaths specified in the Fourth Schedule to this Constitution shall be administered in a manner prescribed by law. ”

“ The following persons shall, upon application, be registered as citizens of Uganda— (a) every person married to a Uganda citizen upon proof of a legal and subsisting marriage of three years or such other period prescribed by Parliament; (b) every person who has legally and voluntarily migrated to and has been living in Uganda for at least ten years or such other period prescribed by Parliament; (c) every person who, on the commencement of this Constitution, has lived in Uganda for at least twenty years. ”

“ In the performance of its functions, a district land board shall be independent of the Uganda Land Commission and shall not be subject to the direction or control of any person or authority but shall take into account national and district council policy on land. General. 242. Land use. Government may, under laws made by Parliament and policies made from time to time, regulate the use of land. ”

“ Parliament shall enact laws appropriate for the protection of persons with disabilities. 36. Protection of rights of minorities. Minorities have a right to participate in decision-making processes, and their views and interests shall be taken into account in the making of national plans and programmes.
37. Right to culture and similar rights. Every person has a right as applicable to belong to, enjoy, practise, profess, maintain and promote any culture, cultural institution, language, tradition, creed or religion in community with others. ”

“ The State shall be based on democratic principles which empower and encour age the active participation of all citizens at all levels in their own governance. (ii) All the people of Uganda shall have access to leadership positions at all levels, subject to the Constitution. ”

“ How long, on the other hand, is a Government, if not prepared to act itself, entitled to bar the way to others? This question is raised in a multitude of diverse forms in almost all the great dependencies of the Crown. But in Uganda the arguments for the State ownership and employment of the natural resources of the country seem to present themselves in their strongest and most formidable array. Uganda is a native State. It must not be compared with any of those colonies where there is a white population already established, nor again with those inhabited by tribes of nomadic barbarians. ”

“ Over all the more thickly-inhabited countries the waste or unoccupied lands belong to Her Majesty the Queen, having been transferred to the Crown, in most cases by agreement with the chiefs, after payment of indemnities; in some other cases, as in Unyoro, as the result of conquest.... By Proclamation it has been forbidden to any foreigner to acquire land from the natives in any part of the Uganda Protectorate without the prior assent of the Uganda Administration.... A large area of the Kingdom of Uganda is guaranteed to the possession of its native occupants. ”

“ But in the absence of this dispensation the problem of how rulers are to be selected, and how, having been selected, they are to be controlled or changed, remains the first question of politics, 125 even in days when the functions of government are, in general, restricted to the modest limits of laissez-faire.
In Uganda, however, this difficulty does not exist. A class of rulers is provided by an outside power as remote from and, in all that constitutes fitness to direct, as superior to the Baganda as Mr. ”