Gov't Chief Whip appeals to members over budget process

With parliament's top echelon early this week suspending plenary sessions to enable committees expeditiously handle the budget process, Government Chief Whip; Ruth Nankabirwa yesterday held a lengthy meeting with chairpersons of committees headed by the ruling NRM party over the matter.

Deputy Speaker, Jacob Oulanyah on Tuesday suspended plenary sessions for a fortnight to let committees scrutinize budget estimates for the financial year 2016/17.

However, with the tenure of the ninth parliament set to come to a close in less than two months, there is a feeling that many lawmakers who lost their seats in the recent elections might by lukewarm towards parliamentary duties.

The 'half-hearted' spirit had already hit plenary sessions before Oulanyah announced the mini break.

"The meeting will be about encouraging our members to expeditiously dispose of the budget process. There is low morale among many MPs," deputy chairperson NRM caucus, Peter Ogwang told New Vision shortly before the meeting on Friday.

The attrition rate of lawmakers during the recent parliamentary elections was over 75%.

This has affected the morale of a section of lawmakers - many perhaps already strategizing how best to survive after exiting the imposing portals of parliament mid-next month.