Deputy speaker Among to write to Museveni over absenteeism of ministers

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Deputy Speaker of Parliament Anita Among has said she will 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 on Thursday that required responses from senior line ministers, but were deferred due to their absence.

For instance, Moses Kizza Acrobert, the Bughendera County MP in Bundibugyo district rose on the floor to seek a response from the Minister of Security about the ongoing deadly incursions by the Allied Democratic Forces-ADF rebels.

Also, Michael Ayepa, the Labwo County Member of Parliament in Abim district informed the House about rampant insecurity in Karamoja sub region that relates to disarmament and cattle rustling that has left hundreds dead.

Other issues included the fuel crisis and the devastating wildfires in National Game Parks, all of which hanged in balance without satisfactory responses given by the acting Government Chief Whip, David Bahati, consequently throwing the house into a frenzied atmosphere.

Geoffrey Mangen Macho, the Busia Municipality Member of Parliament responded while accusing the Executive arm of Government of undermining the legislature thus stifling their legislative role of Parliament.

Earlier at the beginning of the plenary, all the opposition lawmakers walked out of Parliament to protest the continued non-attendance of plenary sittings by the senior ministers. In her response, Deputy Speaker Among described that such acts expose Government to ugly scenes.

The Speaker vowed to immediately write to the President to seek his position on the errant ministers who persistently negate their roles and continue to abscond from plenary sittings.

There are 83 Ministers in Uganda out of which 30 are Cabinet Ministers. However, during the Thursday plenary sitting, there were visibly less than 10 Ministers in attendance during the sitting.

Notably, this is not the first time ministers abscond from Parliament raising eyebrows. For instance, on 20 August 2021, the Deputy Speaker Among adjourned plenary following unending apologies from the Government Chief Whip to shield absent Ministers.

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