NGO to evaluate MPs annually
Mar 19, 2007
THE performance of MPs will be analysed annually, the chairman of the African Leadership Institute, David Pulkol, has said.
By Harriette Onyalla
THE performance of MPs will be analysed annually, the chairman of the African Leadership Institute, David Pulkol, has said.
“This study will be done every year so that after every five years, the electorate can make informed choices.â€
Pulkol made the remarks on Friday during the award- giving ceremony for the best performing MPs of the seventh Parliament (2001-2006) at Hotel Equatoria in Kampala.
The study upon which the performance was judged, was carried out between June 2004 and May 2005.
Among other things, the MPs were rated on the number of bills tabled in the house, bills contributed to, private bills, motions, questions asked, personal statements, petitions, contribution to the state of the nation address, points of order and suspension from the house.
Pulkol said the scope of analysis will be widened to include the MPs’ contribution in House committees, as well as their performance in the constituencies.
“This analysis is the first of its kind the world over. We are making improvements. Other studies will have simple parameters for measuring MPs contribution to their constituencies. We shall also look at the number of times they visit their electorate since some go there at leisure and yet they are supposed to routinely consult their people.â€
He also explained that MPs were ex-officio members of district councils and are supposed to update the councils on national issues. The districts in return guide them on which issues to prioritise in Parliament.
Former Samia Bugwe North MP Aggrey Awori, was named the best performing MP for making 44 contributions during the plenary session. Former Rubaga South MP John Ken Lukyamuzi was second with 43 contributions while trade minister Janat Mukwaya was third with 31 contributions.
MPs who scored A were Dorothy Hyuha, James Mwandha, Rukutana Mwesigwa, Geoffrey Ekanya and Jack Sabiiti.
Dokolo Woman MP Cecilia Ogwal scored B with 14 contributions and others in this group were lands minister Daniel Omara Atubo, state defence minister Ruth Nankabirwa, Moses Kizige (Bugabula North) and John Byabagambi (Ibanda South).
For an MP to score A, he/she should have made over 20 contributions. Grade B was between 10 to 20 contributions while C, 5-9 contributions. Grade D MPs contributed once or twice while F, meant the person had never spoken on the House floor.
Forty-five MPs were in D bracket while over 65 fell in the F category. Of these, 37 were not re-elected.
The survey also noted that only 16 out of 158 supplementary questions raised in the year were constituency related.
The Deputy Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga, observed that assessing MPs under the multi-party system maybe difficult since parties choose particular MPs to table their issues. She urged the institute to extend the evaluation to the Executive and the Judiciary.
Barbara Amule, of Makerere University, proposed that MPs be rated according to their ability to lobby for resources like water, electricity and roads for their constituencies.
THE performance of MPs will be analysed annually, the chairman of the African Leadership Institute, David Pulkol, has said.
“This study will be done every year so that after every five years, the electorate can make informed choices.â€
Pulkol made the remarks on Friday during the award- giving ceremony for the best performing MPs of the seventh Parliament (2001-2006) at Hotel Equatoria in Kampala.
The study upon which the performance was judged, was carried out between June 2004 and May 2005.
Among other things, the MPs were rated on the number of bills tabled in the house, bills contributed to, private bills, motions, questions asked, personal statements, petitions, contribution to the state of the nation address, points of order and suspension from the house.
Pulkol said the scope of analysis will be widened to include the MPs’ contribution in House committees, as well as their performance in the constituencies.
“This analysis is the first of its kind the world over. We are making improvements. Other studies will have simple parameters for measuring MPs contribution to their constituencies. We shall also look at the number of times they visit their electorate since some go there at leisure and yet they are supposed to routinely consult their people.â€
He also explained that MPs were ex-officio members of district councils and are supposed to update the councils on national issues. The districts in return guide them on which issues to prioritise in Parliament.
Former Samia Bugwe North MP Aggrey Awori, was named the best performing MP for making 44 contributions during the plenary session. Former Rubaga South MP John Ken Lukyamuzi was second with 43 contributions while trade minister Janat Mukwaya was third with 31 contributions.
MPs who scored A were Dorothy Hyuha, James Mwandha, Rukutana Mwesigwa, Geoffrey Ekanya and Jack Sabiiti.
Dokolo Woman MP Cecilia Ogwal scored B with 14 contributions and others in this group were lands minister Daniel Omara Atubo, state defence minister Ruth Nankabirwa, Moses Kizige (Bugabula North) and John Byabagambi (Ibanda South).
For an MP to score A, he/she should have made over 20 contributions. Grade B was between 10 to 20 contributions while C, 5-9 contributions. Grade D MPs contributed once or twice while F, meant the person had never spoken on the House floor.
Forty-five MPs were in D bracket while over 65 fell in the F category. Of these, 37 were not re-elected.
The survey also noted that only 16 out of 158 supplementary questions raised in the year were constituency related.
The Deputy Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga, observed that assessing MPs under the multi-party system maybe difficult since parties choose particular MPs to table their issues. She urged the institute to extend the evaluation to the Executive and the Judiciary.
Barbara Amule, of Makerere University, proposed that MPs be rated according to their ability to lobby for resources like water, electricity and roads for their constituencies.