MPs reflect on first session of the 11th Parliament

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Members of Parliament have heaped praises upon themselves for distinguished work accomplished following the expiry of the first session of the 11th Parliament on Friday last week.

The first session of the August House commenced on May 24th, 2021 under the late former Speaker of parliament, Jacob Oulanyah who succumbed to cancer on March 20th, 2022 after presiding over Parliament for only nine months.

Subsequently, on April 25th, 2022, parliament-elected Anita Among to replace the deceased whom she had deputized. On Friday, Among prorogued Parliament and took stock of the tasks undertaken by the lawmakers in the period under review.

She explained that during the course of the year, the House conducted 100 sittings from which they administered 555 oaths, passed 24 bills, made 62 resolutions, and endorsed two borrowings. Among further pointed out that 12 MPs were granted leave to introduce Private Member’s Bills.

The House also paid nine tributes, passed 40 other resolutions, adopted 33 reports, 95 question times and the Prime Minister’s time were performed, 3 oral questions, and 123 urgent questions were responded to.

Sarah Opendi, the Tororo District Woman MP notes that as the former State Minister for Energy, she particularly spearheaded the drafting of the Minerals and Mining Bill, 2019 in order to diversify revenue sources for the country.

Opendi, who also doubles as the Chairperson of Uganda Parliamentary Women’s Association-UWOPA cited the passing of the Succession Amendment Act, 2022 and the Market Bill, 2022 as successes recorded by the House, which speaks to the hearts of many vulnerable Ugandans, especially the orphans, widows and widowers alike.

For Hassan Kirumira, the Katikamu South Constituency MP, the 11th Parliament has performed well despite facing difficulties such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the sudden demise of the speaker.

Prof. Joel Oloka Onyango, a Law Don at Makerere University hailed the Committees of the 11th Parliament such as Trade, Tourism, and Industries; Commissions, Statutory Authorities, and State Enterprises – COSASE for the vigorous probes into the irregularities of the Naguru-Nakawa land, Uganda Land Commission, and Vinci Uganda Coffee Company Limited, among others.

Prof. Oloka observes that Parliamentarians must continue such probes but must ensure their resolutions are implemented so as to hold public officers and errant private individuals who squander public resources accountable.

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