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Tayebwa warns ineffective parliamentary committees
Tayebwa says committees that receive and utilise parliamentary funds without producing the required reports must account for their performance or risk losing financial support.
Tayebwa warns ineffective parliamentary committees
By: Sarah Nabakooza, Journalist @New Vision
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Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa has warned committees that fail to fulfil their reporting obligations.
He says the committees’ funding could be reviewed, insisting that public resources must be matched with performance and accountability.
Tayebwa says committees that receive and utilise parliamentary funds without producing the required reports must account for their performance or risk losing financial support.
Addressing Members of Parliament during October 20, 2026, afternoon’s plenary, he singled out the Committee on Climate Change, which he said had not presented a single report throughout the 11th Parliament despite receiving and utilising funds.
Other committees he cited included those on equal opportunities, HIV/AIDS and related matters, human rights, and science and technology.
Tayebwa explained that specialised standing committees were established to ensure that critical policy areas receive sustained parliamentary attention and that legislators are regularly updated on developments in their respective sectors.
Under Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, the committees are required to present reports to the House at least twice a year.
He said the requirement was intended to keep Parliament informed about emerging challenges and developments in specialised areas that might otherwise receive limited attention from committees with broader mandates.
Tayebwa explained that specialised standing committees were established to ensure that critical policy areas receive sustained parliamentary attention and that legislators are regularly updated on developments in their respective sectors.
Under Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, the committees are required to present reports to the House at least twice a year.
He said the requirement was intended to keep Parliament informed about emerging challenges and developments in specialised areas that might otherwise receive limited attention from committees with broader mandates.
“This is therefore to require committees to conform to the reporting requirements and justify their existence,” Tayebwa said.
He added that Parliament’s leadership would engage political party whips to ensure that legislators appointed to head committees demonstrate commitment to their responsibilities.
“If your committee is not working, there is no reason for giving you money,” he said.
Tayebwa warned that committees whose leaders consistently failed to report while continuing to receive and request funding would face scrutiny.
He further said Parliament’s leadership would ask party whips to reconsider nominating legislators who had led underperforming committees for future leadership positions.
“We will talk to whips and request that, please, this one is not suitable to be a leader,” he said.
He added that Parliament’s leadership would engage political party whips to ensure that legislators appointed to head committees demonstrate commitment to their responsibilities.
“If your committee is not working, there is no reason for giving you money,” he said.
Tayebwa warned that committees whose leaders consistently failed to report while continuing to receive and request funding would face scrutiny.
He further said Parliament’s leadership would ask party whips to reconsider nominating legislators who had led underperforming committees for future leadership positions.
“We will talk to whips and request that, please, this one is not suitable to be a leader,” he said.