MPS dodge district meetings

Dec 14, 2007

OVER 100 MPs did not attend a single district council meeting between June 2006 and May 2007, a local think-tank said yesterday.It added that about 40% of the MPs who represent physical constituencies did not attend any meeting in the six-month period.

By Milton Olupot, Henry Mukasa and Madinah Tebajjukira

OVER 100 MPs did not attend a single district council meeting between June 2006 and May 2007, a local think-tank said yesterday.It added that about 40% of the MPs who represent physical constituencies did not attend any meeting in the six-month period.

The meetings ranged from three in some districts to 12 in others. Every MP receives a sh10m constituency allowance.

Of the 332 MPs, only 294 represent physical constituencies. The other 38 represent special interest groups such as the army, the youth, workers, people with disability and ex-officio members.

The survey found that only 25 MPs attended half of the district council meetings. NRM members of Parliament performed slightly better at 18% attendance, compared to 12% for the opposition MPs, according to the report compiled by the African Leadership Institute, headed by former spy chief David Pulkol.

Two MPs, former health minister Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi (NRM Rujumbura) and Mukono Woman MP Mary Margaret Nalugo Sekiziyivu, attended all the meetings in their districts, the institute said.

It added that MPs are formally invited to the district council meetings to enable them better represent their constituents in national debates.

While their attendance is not a legal requirement, it is prudent for them to routinely interact with the district councils to know the problems in their areas.

The MPs’ district council attendance was based on the attendance registers and meeting minutes across the 79 districts in the sample period.

At the national level, the MPs, on average, attended 23 out of the 89 plenary sittings in Parliament between May 2006 and May 2007. Others never attended at all or just sat in one or two meetings although they received their full payment. On average, an MP earns at least sh7m gross.

The MPs reacted angrily to the report which The New Vision published on Wednesday.

The MPs said the report was unfair and damaged the image of Parliament.

The MPs, who excelled in the district ranking, were Faridah Kasasa Najjuma (Mubende), who attended five of the six meetings, scoring 83%, minister Janat Mukwaya and Norman Ibrahim Muwulize, both from Mukono, attended four of the five meetings, scoring 80% each.

All the MPs from Abim, Amuria, Budaka, Bugiri, Busia, Ibanda, Jinja, Kaliro, Nakaseke, Nebbi, Oyam and Tororo did not attend any meeting in their districts. The MPs, whose attendance in the plenary was lowest, performed equally poorly in the district meetings.

These were Caroline Amali Okao (Amolatar), Rhoda Acen (Amuria), Concy Aciro (Amuru), Minister Simon Ejua (Arua), Moses Apiliga (Moyo), Lubyayi Kisiki (Masaka) and Anthony Mukasa (Mukono) all of whom did not attend any meetings.

The report said MPs efforts in their constituencies should be recognised but the lack of cooperation from them was hampering this effort.

It said three dimensions of MPs’ performance in the constituency would be considered, namely attending the district council meetings, contribution to the constituency infrastructure and possession of an office and visits. “Given the resources provided to MPs to travel to their constituencies, it is reasonable to assess MPs on how often they visit the voters they represent.”

The Government welcomed the report at its launch in Kampala yesterday. Prime Minister Prof. Apolo Nsibambi in a message delivered by minister Omara Atubo stated: “I support this exercise. I am happy about it.”

Atubo said: “Our MPs should humbly accept to be assessed. No politician should be shy about this assessment.”

He suggested that future assessments could look at the ethical conduct of MPs. He expressed sympathies for the Vice-President, Prof. Gilbert Bukenya and the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Aronda Nyakairima who scored ‘D’ and ‘F’ respectively.

The leader of the opposition, Prof. Ogenga Latigo, said the angry reaction from the MPs was not surprising.

“They shoot and ask questions later. I will not be surprised if they only read the headline in The New Vision and reacted. If there is any stamp of approval for what you are doing, it was the reaction of Parliament,” Ogenga stated. The institute’s vice-chairman, Elly Karuhanga, said the survey was a contribution to democratic reforms, which he described as “unstoppable and necessary for accountability.”

He said it was important that MPs fulfill the promises they make. Reacting to the MPs’ anger, the Netherlands ambassador, Jeroen Verheul, said the truth had to be told, particularly in developing countries.

“If the report angers MPs then I am not sorry for that. It seeks to increase oversight, scrutiny and monitoring by the electorate of their representatives in Parliament.”

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