By Mariam Nalunkuuma & Cyprian Musoke

MEMBERS of Parliament (MPs) demand a parliamentary committee in preparation for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) due in November next year.

In a report on the ministerial policy statement from the foreign affairs committee, Onyango Kakoba (Buikwe) told Parliament on Monday that Parliament was not involved in the preparation for CHOGM.

“For Parliament to be able to oversee the preparations for CHOGM, it’s important that it receives periodic briefs on the same,” Kakoba said.

Ruhama MP Janet Museveni said, “It is proper for Parliament to have a sessional committee that can be dissolved after CHOGM, to help in supervising and monitoring the funds released for the meeting, that would be misused.”

The regional affairs state minister, Isaac Musumba, said the ministry was ready to discuss and report any developments on CHOGM to any committee instituted by Parliament.

Meanwhile, Parliament heard that as Uganda was preparing to host the CHOGM, it had outstanding arrears of sh1b to the Commonwealth.

Onyango reported that Uganda owed arrears amounting to sh16.85b to the international oganisations that it subscribed to. “Arrears of this magnitude are a great embarrassment, now that we are even preparing to host CHOGM,” he said.