The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Office of the Leader of Opposition in Parliament has presented accomplishments it has achieved, marking its first of the 5-year tenure under the 11th Parliament that was inaugurated in May 2021.
Led by Mathias Mpuuga, the Opposition took a stock count of their achievements during a press briefing at Parliament on Monday. Under Article 82 of the Constitution, and the Administration of Parliament (Amendment) Act, 2006, the Opposition in Parliament is charged with the mandate of keeping the government in check.
Joyce Bagala, the Shadow Minister of Information and Anti-Corruption disclosed that the Opposition produced the first-ever legislative agenda, and overall strategic driver of all the outputs, which was launched on August 30th, 2021 to help the common man.
She explained that Betty Ethel Naluyima, the Wakiso District Woman Representative tabled a motion on September 8th, 2022, which was adopted by the House compelling the government to reverse its decision to sweep all locally generated revenues into the centralized Consolidated Fund.
Bagala said the Shadow Cabinet also rejected the government’s proposal through the Ministry of Finance to borrow Shillings 2 trillion in the wake of the growing burden of Shillings 73.78 trillion domestic debts as of December 2021. The intervention helped the House to put breaks on excessive local borrowing.
The Shadow Cabinet also approved and presented an alternative policy framework for delivering the Parish Development Model-PDM. In contrast with the ruling government’s model, the proposed policy advocates for establishing an agricultural stabilization fund and re-establishing a cooperative bank.
It proposes merging the Micro Finance Support Centre Limited with Pride Micro Finance Limited, transforming the agriculture credit facility into an agricultural bank, and developing a fertilizer factory that would sustainably meet the needs of ordinary Ugandans. Further, the Opposition also proposed the reduction of electricity tariffs to benefit consumers.
The proposal was adopted by Parliament as part of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2022. It is among the eight Bills already assented to by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
According to Mpuuga, the Shadow Cabinet also put up a spirited fight through Abed Bwanika, the Shadow Minister of Agriculture, and six other lawmakers pushing Parliament to probe the divisive Vinci Uganda Coffee Company Limited deal that was later terminated.
In the last 12 months, Mpuuga also disclosed that his office established unique international credentials as the face and voice of the voiceless, which has been achieved through hosting international delegations including Ministers and lawmakers from the Americas, Europe, and African countries alike to pick lessons on effective governance.
The opposition also highlights tenable success it achieved in researching and documenting the shrinking civic space in the country, citing the detestable human rights horrors meted on Ugandans since 2018 that prompted a Parliamentary inquiry on the state of human rights abuses.
Lastly, the Opposition said it used the first year in office to train, and build the capacity and performance of legislators to quip with adequate knowledge to dominate the House and Committee session through the delivery of researched debate.
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