COVID-19: Parliament shortens national budgeting process 

COVID-19

KAMPALA - Parliament has gone on a partial lockdown and even shortened the remaining national budgeting process period of two months to only two weeks.

While addressing journalists Thursday, parliamentary commissioners said the measures have been occasioned by the outbreak of the coronavirus.

The leadership of the House has also resolved that the committees of Parliament will mostly interact with various government entities through electronic platforms and only meet physically when it is unavoidable.

Parliament has also asked a big number of staff to remain in their homes and maintained a few staff. "This follows the earlier directive to have all interns, personal assistants and forum staff ceasing to access the precincts of Parliament," Arinaitwe Rwakajara, one of the parliamentary commissioners, said.

Rwakajara, who is a workers' MP, said the downsizing of staff is aimed at decongesting the Parliament precincts to ensure the safety of legislators and staff while at the same time ensuring that parliamentary business continues smoothly.

"Some staff will be facilitated to work from home and measures instituted for that will be strictly followed," Rwakajara said.

The commissioners including Francis Mwijukye and other MPs such as Bernard Atiku and Esther Anyakun on the Parliament task force to fight the coronavirus said whereas Parliament should have closed business in response to the presidential ban on gatherings, Parliament has a constitutional duty to ‘midwife' the national budgeting process, which has strict timelines.

The Parliament director for budget, Suleiman Kiggundu, said the national budget process has procedures which they are obliged to follow.

"The Public Finance Management Act requires Parliament to have the budget process completed at the end of May. "We have shortened the remaining period to two weeks. Some rules and procedures have been shortened to fit within two weeks," Kiggundu said.

Kiggundu informed journalists that the finance ministry is scheduled to present the final revised budget estimates next week on Tuesday, after which they will ensure the remaining work of scrutiny and adjusting the figures accordingly is done within 10 days.

On questions from journalists regarding the budget required to fight coronavirus, Kiggundu said article 156(2) allows the President to authorise expenditures for emergencies and can four months later present the expenditure to Parliament for approval.

Mwikukye, who is also the Buhweju County MP, said: "Just like medical workers and security personnel, MPs cannot run away from some obligations.

The situation requires Parliament to continue operating." Mwijukye, who is an opposition MP and former aide to the former Forum for Democratic Change president, Dr Kizza Besigye, advised Ugandans to notify the Police to arrest businesspeople who inflate prices for essential commodities.