Opposition political parties and civil society groups, if reports reaching CEOAFRICA.com from Uganda is anything to go by, are planning to petition the Constitutional Court seeking to impeach President Yoweri Museveni.

According to source, the parties and civil society groups could ask parliament to impeach the president,If the Constitutional Court should give the go-ahead.

Reacting to the situation, a member of Uganda’s parliament, Gerald Karuhanga said he will support people’s decision to impeach the president.

“I will certainly back whoever thinks President Museveni should be impeached for abrogating the constitution, because this level of impunity must be rejected with all the disgrace it deserve,” Karuhanga said.

President Museveni was accused of flouting the constitution after he installed General Aronda Nyakairima as Internal Affairs Minister over the weekend. Nyakairima is still a top official of the national army, the Uganda Peoples Defense Forces (UPDF).This act is contrary to Article 208(2) of Uganda’s constitution which bars serving army officers from participating in partisan politics.

The lawmaker said the President, despite repeated warning from members of the parliament, refused to adhere to the rule of law.

“At first we thought it was a joke that a military general can become a cabinet official in a multiparty system of government. It was pushed on and pursued by President Museveni until the general became a cabinet minister,” said Karuhanga.
But, last week, Nyakairima was approved by the Appointments Committee of parliament.  Karuhanga said he disagreed with the decision.
 
“It was very disturbing that the Appointment’s Committee actually approved him because we had made it so clear to them and informed them and we thought they would reason it out legally,” said Karuhanga. “Unfortunately, political influence overwhelmed them.”
         
Meanwhile, the presidency rejected in totality claims that President Museveni contravened the constitution.       
 
According to a statement credited to the Attorney General Peter Nyombiu, it states, “There is no legal instrument for General Aronda to resign or retire from the army before he can be appointed minister. That section of the UPDF Act is not applicable in this case because ministers are appointed. The appointment of General Aronda should be effected without requiring him to resign from the army or requiring taking leave.”
         
However, political analysts said the efforts of opposition parties and civil groups may not see the light of the day because the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) enjoys a comfortable parliamentary majority. They contend that the NRM will block any of the opposition’s legislative maneuvers to impeach Museveni.