The Regional Sittings: Is It An Attempt To Resusitate Sinking Cronies Or A True Effort To Bring Parliament Closer To The People As Alleged?
Hon. Denis Lee Oguzu the Maracha County MP
OPINION: Corridors of Parliament are filled with blanket arguments for and against proposed regional sittings with some saying these regional sitttings will bring Parliament closer to the people while others questioning wasteful expenditures and how this decision was arrived at, branding them as attempt to resuscitate sinking popularity of cronies. The first question I should ask is: was this an approved workplan of Parliament arrived at through stakeholder participation as required by PFMA?
Majority came to know of these events way after work plans and Policy statements were processed following announcement by Rt. Hon. Speaker Anita Among after passing of the budget for 2024/25. Some MPs have been duped into believing that bringing sitting of the House to their regions will give them a better opportunity to air out their regional issues, a false insinuation that these privileges ordinarily do not exist during Kampala sittings. If what they mean includes opportunity to speak in local languages so that these issues can better be articulated, they’re right. Other than that, they’re peddling lies unless substantiated with evidence of work and procurement plans that show how the locals will benefit, an agenda that provides exclusive opportunity to region’s MPs to speak, etc. I do not see how these sittings will fast track bringing to forefront issues of any region.
If they were intended to enlist public views, they should’ve been made Barazas. For clarity, other than being spectators, the public doesn’t participate in sitting of the House to afford them opportunity to ask direct questions. Also, we already passed the budget for this FY. For instance how will a regional sitting in Gulu ensure participation of people say in Maracha from sub counties without secondary schools and healthcentre IIIs and guarantee access to those services for them? Must it take a sitting in Northern Uganda for these known facts to be restated, what’s the guarantee that these issues will feature? Could those pushing this agenda which was not initially in workplan of Parliament be looking at making more money in form of perdiems, travel facilitation and other allowances as alleged? Unfortunately, the cost of all these will be paid borne by the tax payer in whose interest we’re supposed to legislate.
Indeed if this is very a popular proposal in the House, why not have it on order paper for a debate and a vote so that the public knows who is with or against them. A debate will also give MPs opportunity to have this proposal unpacked further for finer details such as actual costs, how the venues in each region were selected, who will benefit and how.
In the face current economic conditions where we’re failing to deploy interns to our health institutions, meet commitments to our security forces, complete many stalled projects, etc, it would not only be indifference on our side but insensitivity and conflict of interest if MPs do not stand with the people but rather choose to pursue their own short-term benefits.
This matter presents unique opportunity for Parliamentary Commission to prove to her stakeholders how this decision was arrived at, whether it was in Parliament’s work and procurement plans, how the agenda or programming will benefit the people or MPs from those respective regions. Above all, give a platform to justify if expenditure on these sittings in the face of current economic situation and public outrage is worth the return on investment which will acrue from holding these meetings regionally.
Questioning why the public is concerned about expenditure of 1trillion Parliament receives out of 72 trillion budget to justify any wasteful expenditure by the institution has no place in the Budget Transparency and Accountability Framework.
We cannot afford to have a publicly confessed pro-people-parliament that does not lead by example. Already we have a confirmed fuel arrears, money for clothings, food and donations whose figures and execution details are scanty. An open discourse on these issues and others would put these matters to a logical conclusion while saving image of the institution.
The Article is written by the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the people of Maracha County.