Kadaga warns MPs on poor attendance

By Moses Mulondo & Henry Sekanjako

OWING to the poor attendance of plenary sessions by MPs, the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has directed all chairpersons of parliament committee to stop having parallel meetings when plenary sessions are going on.

Kadaga’s directive contained in a letter dated March 4, 2015, was read by the deputy speaker Jacob Oulanyah while presiding over Thursday’s plenary session.

“I have also raised this matter several times that committees should not meet when plenary is on.  MPs have to give priority to plenary business so that we deliver on the purpose for which we were elected. Our term is still on until May next year,” Oulanyah elaborated.

Oulanyah made these remarks not knowing that plenary business of considering the Trade Licensing (Amendment) Bill would a few minutes later be halted on the technical ground of lack of quorum.

Butambala MP Muwanga Kivumbi rose up and said it was against the parliamentary rules of procedure for parliament to pass clauses of the Bill when there was no quorum.

After Kivumbi had raised the matter, Oulanyah was compelled to suspend debate on the Bill and resorted to other items which did not require quorum for consideration.

At the time Muwanga raised the issue, there were about 57 MPs out of the 375 MPs in the 9th parliament.

Even when the newly appointed Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa got out and called several MPs to get into the chambers, the number did not change.

Despite the Speaker improvising various measures like registration books and high tech gadgets which monitor the attendance of MPs, the turn has continued to be very poor.

Even when it comes to committees, commencement of meetings is always delayed by lack of quorum.

Oulanyah also directed committee chairpersons to always expedite petitions brought to parliament within the stipulated 45 days so that challenges or problems of petitioners are responded to urgently.

He made the directive while responding to Kawempe North MP Latif Ssebagala wondered why a petition from members of his constituency where the oil pipeline will pass which he presented in April 2013 has never surfaced on the order paper.

Ssebagala’s concern was backed by Ndorwa West MP David Bahati who said, “I think Ssebagala’s concern is very important. I also presented a petition from Uganda Scouts Association regarding some people who are grabbing their land which the Kabaka gave them but it has over delayed in the committee. It is important for the committees to stick to the 45 days.”

Oulanyah said, “People come to parliament with urgent matters and their hope is that this house can help them solve their problems. When we delay, we shall not have helped them. I urge committees to expedite these petitions. That is how we shall deserve the public trust.”

Commenting on the absenteeism of MPs, Mbale woman MP Connie Galiwango said, “It is unfortunate that despite various measures taken by the speaker, the turn has continued to be poor. I think the speaker now has to come up with stringent and tough sanctions to the absentee MPs.”