MPs call for referendum on oil
MPs who are against the reconsideration of clause nine of the Petroleum Exploration, Development and Production Bill are proposing a referendum as the best solution to the ongoing stalemate.
Bugweri MP Abdu Katuntu said parliament has to resort to the people if the leaders they elected to represent them fail on their mandate.
He said the concerned MPs will take it upon themselves to collect signatures from the entire country to compel the Electoral Commission to hold a referendum.
He says that they have failed to get consensus and therefore the best judges will be the people through referendum.
Bushenyi municipality MP Odo Tayebwa however says in case a referendum fails he will move a motion in the house seeking that all MPs first go to their constituencies and consult their voters and come back with a report.
Parliament is at logger heads with the executive over whether the powers of negotiating petroleum agreements, granting and revoking of licenses should be given to the petroleum authority or the line minister.
The debate turned rowdy on Tuesday with MPs arguing that the motion to have the clause that talks about the powers recommitted be thrown out forcing the speaker to suspend all activities of the house.
