Opposition, Govt tussle
Aug 24, 2007
PLENARY resumed this week after most of the sessional committees finished scrutinising ministerial policy statements for the financial year 2007/08. The opposition took the opportunity to read their official critique of the budget, with a scathing attack on its priorities.
PLENARY resumed this week after most of the sessional committees finished scrutinising ministerial policy statements for the financial year 2007/08. The opposition took the opportunity to read their official critique of the budget, with a scathing attack on its priorities.
Shadow finance minister Nandala Mafabi, who read the critique, argued that finance minister Ezra Suruma had failed to address many social and economic problems. He wondered why the number of poor people was increasing yet the economy was growing at a rate of 6.5% per annum.
The finance minister, Suruma, retorted that the opposition had fired a blank on people’s priorities, arguing that agriculture, which remains the main income earner was not declining, but that the service sector was overtaking it and that therefore there is no need for alarm. Time will tell who is right.
Tuesday started on a sombre note, with the much-awaited statement of personal explanation from Kabula MP James Kakooza, on circumstances surrounding his dramatic arrest. His additional title as Commissioner of Parliament notwithstanding, the Lanky MP was bundled him into a saloon car by court bailiff Moses Kirunda and taken to Court and later, to Luzira Prison.
He said had the Chief Magistrate Deo Nzeyimana given him time to explain, he would have demonstrated, using documents, that he was not indebted and therefore would have been saved from his harrowing experience in Luzira. Hard luck!
But it was not only Kakooza who was suffering unfairly under the law. On Wednesday, opposition MPs led by shadow agriculture minister Beti Kamya launched a scathing attack on court over the continued incarceration of PRA suspects, by setting prohibitive bail terms for them. They said sh2m bail per person was in effect meant to deny the suspects their right to bail, after battling for it for five years. The seven PRA rebel suspects who were granted bail last month by the Arua High Court, are still in jail after failing to raise the bail money.
State minister for justice, Freddie Ruhindi, clarified that although bail was a constitutional right, the Constitution gives the courts discretionary powers while awarding it. Speaker Edward Ssekandi concurred.
As the week drew to a close, Attorney General Khiddu Makubuya finally defused the long-standing contention on Vice-President Gilbert Bukenya’s eligibility for the Makerere University Chancellorship. In his legal opinion to Parliament, he contended that the two offices were distinct and so the Vice-President could legally serve as chancellor of any university. But the race is almost drawing to a close.
The week could not be ended on a nobler cause than fighting for their constitutents’ rights. MPs on Thursday queried the continued delay of the release of public servants’ salaries for July. Bunyole MP Emmanuel Dombo wondered whether Government had run broke!
Shadow finance minister Nandala Mafabi, who read the critique, argued that finance minister Ezra Suruma had failed to address many social and economic problems. He wondered why the number of poor people was increasing yet the economy was growing at a rate of 6.5% per annum.
The finance minister, Suruma, retorted that the opposition had fired a blank on people’s priorities, arguing that agriculture, which remains the main income earner was not declining, but that the service sector was overtaking it and that therefore there is no need for alarm. Time will tell who is right.
Tuesday started on a sombre note, with the much-awaited statement of personal explanation from Kabula MP James Kakooza, on circumstances surrounding his dramatic arrest. His additional title as Commissioner of Parliament notwithstanding, the Lanky MP was bundled him into a saloon car by court bailiff Moses Kirunda and taken to Court and later, to Luzira Prison.
He said had the Chief Magistrate Deo Nzeyimana given him time to explain, he would have demonstrated, using documents, that he was not indebted and therefore would have been saved from his harrowing experience in Luzira. Hard luck!
But it was not only Kakooza who was suffering unfairly under the law. On Wednesday, opposition MPs led by shadow agriculture minister Beti Kamya launched a scathing attack on court over the continued incarceration of PRA suspects, by setting prohibitive bail terms for them. They said sh2m bail per person was in effect meant to deny the suspects their right to bail, after battling for it for five years. The seven PRA rebel suspects who were granted bail last month by the Arua High Court, are still in jail after failing to raise the bail money.
State minister for justice, Freddie Ruhindi, clarified that although bail was a constitutional right, the Constitution gives the courts discretionary powers while awarding it. Speaker Edward Ssekandi concurred.
As the week drew to a close, Attorney General Khiddu Makubuya finally defused the long-standing contention on Vice-President Gilbert Bukenya’s eligibility for the Makerere University Chancellorship. In his legal opinion to Parliament, he contended that the two offices were distinct and so the Vice-President could legally serve as chancellor of any university. But the race is almost drawing to a close.
The week could not be ended on a nobler cause than fighting for their constitutents’ rights. MPs on Thursday queried the continued delay of the release of public servants’ salaries for July. Bunyole MP Emmanuel Dombo wondered whether Government had run broke!