● In yesterday’s Plenary, all the 82 ministers were absent forcing Speaker Anita to adjourn the House amidst disappointment and anger!
● Among the four roles of a Member of Parliament, is oversight and representation where ministers absence in the House affects business in Parliament
● Mps monitor and bring to the attention of Ministers and the public the misuse of Government funds, violations of the rule of law and unlawful activities.
● MPs represent their constitients’ views in Parliament and bring to the attention of relevant Ministers different matters of national concern.
MOSES MUGALULA
NEWS EDITOR MEDIA
SPEAKER of Parliament Rt. Hon. Anita Annet Among yesterday had no kind words for ministers over dodging Plenary!
She has vowed to act by talking to the appointing Authority President Museveni over his ministers’ continuous absentism in Parliament.
This comes after all the 82 ministers of the Uganda government were absent for Wednesday’s Parliament plenary, forcing Speaker Anita Among to adjourn the House amidst disappointment and anger!
The Speaker with heavy disappointment on starting the plenary realised that not even a single minister was present to handle concerns emanating from members of the House.
“As you see, this is one of the abandoned houses and we are wondering whether we still have Ministers! How do we handle the house, MPs have issues, how do we handle the House without Ministers, how?” asked a disappointed Among.
“I am not sure we are going to continue like this, I think I need to talk to the Executive, We are going to talk to the Executive on this matter,” she added.
For starters, among the four roles of a Member of Parliament, is oversight and representation.
With oversight, Mps monitor and bring to the attention of Ministers and the public the misuse of Government funds, violations of the rule of law and unlawful activities.
With representation, MPs represent their constitients’ views in Parliament and bring to the attention of relevant Ministers different matters of national concern.
The Speaker who has been a long-term crusader against absenteeism in the House now says she will bring the matter of dodging ministers to the immediate attention of the Head of the Executive, President Museveni.
In 2022 while still Deputy Speaker, Among said she would write to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on the continued absence of senior ministers during plenary sittings.
Her statement followed urgent matters of National importance that the legislators raised on the floor that required responses from senior line ministers, but were deferred due to their absence. During that specific sitting, only 10 ministers were present.
On 20 August 2021, the Deputy Speaker Among adjourned plenary following unending apologies from the Government Chief Whip to shield absent Ministers. There are 82 Ministers, 30 of whom are Cabinet Ministers.
Members of Parliament demand accountability from the Executive through raising different issues on the Floor of the House and summoning Ministers and other Governme t officials to appear before them (committees)on different matters.
Therefore, the absence of ministers in Parliament affects business in the August House, that is why Speaker Anita wants President to act.
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