Nearly an equal percentage of new and old MPs said they support or oppose the proposal to scrap the presidential age limit, meaning being a senior or newcomer in Parliament has no significant impact on voting decisions.
Our analysis of the MPs' intended voting pattern based on responses collated through telephone and face-to-face interviews as well as publicly proclaimed positions shows that 99 of the 248 MPs serving their first term support the Igara East MP Raphael Magyezi Bill.
The proposed amendment is to delete Article 102(b) of the Constitution which provides that any Ugandan is eligible to stand for President only if no younger than 35 years and no older than 75 years.
The 10th Parliament has 424 MPs with voting rights and 248 of them are new members.
Ninety-nine or 40 percent of the new lawmakers said they would vote "yes", meaning they support the lifting of the age cap, while 47 or 19 percent plan to vote against it.
By comparison, 68 MPs, representing 38 percent of those serving second or more terms, said they would vote for the Bill. One in every four said they plan to vote "no" or reject the proposal.
The rest of the MPs never responded or indicated that they were still undecided pending conclusion of consultations with their electorates, which was underway at the time of our survey.
Undecided MPs
The high number of undecided or non-responsive MPs (166 in total), who could swing to the "yes", "no" side or abstain altogether, implies that the fate of the Bill is theoretically far from sealed when MPs finally take a vote on it.
The Bill first presented in Parliament in September amid fist-fighting by MPs, is due for a second reading after which the House will resolve into a committee of the whole House to scrutinise it clause-by-clause.
Voting
It is at this stage that any MP can propose any amendment, which if supported, will become part of the enacted law.
Two-thirds of all MPs with voting rights will require voting in favour for the Bill to pass.
The voting at the second and third reading of the Bill will be by roll call and tally.
Latest Stories
-
President Akufo-Addo extends Easter Greetings to Ghanaians, urges safe drive
15 mins -
Government pushes for use of more local materials in housing, other infrastructure projects
48 mins -
Dr Bawumia extends Easter greetings to Christians
59 mins -
CAF Confederation Cup: ‘Ghanaians should expect victory against Stade Malien’ – Dreams FC forward Ishmael Dede
1 hour -
CAF Confederation Cup: ‘We want to go there and win’ – Karim Zito on Stade Malian clash
2 hours -
Togbe Adzie Lãkle Howusu XII endorses youth leadership as New Force Movement gains momentum
2 hours -
Public Utility Workers Union appeals to PURC to address power crisis
3 hours -
Anbariya loses another appeal in Kumasi as Appeal Court ratifies High Court ruling against the Islamic Institute
3 hours -
Highway construction health hazard: Ofankor-Pokuase-Nsawam residents appeal for dust relief
3 hours -
SuperJazzClub releases its first single of the year ‘Off’
3 hours -
Methodist Church to lobby Akufo-Addo for expedited assent to anti-LGBTQI+ Bill
3 hours -
Spare health facilities from unplanned ‘dumsor’ – Minority to government
4 hours -
Eritrea Observed World Tuberculosis (TB) Day 2024
4 hours -
Just give us ‘dumsor’ timetable to plan our operations – GMA tells ECG
4 hours -
Parliament petitions Chief Justice for an expedited hearing of cases against anti-LGBTQI+ Bill
4 hours