We must sanction perpetual absentee committee members -Opposition whip

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Parliament should devise sanctions for legislators who skip committee meetings, according to the Opposition Chief Whip, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda. This stems from a report on the performance of parliamentary committees, which listed more than 100 legislators as perpetual absentees. The report covered the period between July 2017 to May 2018.

In that particular year, the committees held 815 meetings. However, some committee members failed to turn for any of the meetings, which affected processing of bills and petitions as well as the consideration of the Auditor General’s reports. Parliament conducts most business through committees, which are expected to report back to the house.

However, 37 legislators missed all scheduled committee meetings. These include among others the Central Youth MP, Sarah Babirye Kityo, Workers MP, Dr. Sam Lyomoki, Omoro Woman MP, Catherine Lamwaka and Kyadondo East MP, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu.

Kyagulanyi missed 39 scheduled meetings for the Presidential Affairs Committee held during the year, while Aruu County MP, Odonga Otto skipped all the 53 Budget Committee meetings. Kakumiro Woman MP, Robinah Nabbanja missed all 16 meeting of the Rules Committee.

Some of the MPs attributed their perpetual absenteeism to lack of interest in certain committees or clashing in committee sittings and other engagements among other reasons. However, a number of MPs led by the Opposition Chief Whip, Ssemujju want such MPs sanctioned, saying their absence affects the overall performance of committees.

Ssemujju says that the constitution requires that a Member of Parliament who misses 15 consecutive sittings of the House without informing the Speaker be ejected from the house. He says there is need to study whether this provision can be applicable to MPs who skip committee meetings.

The Clerk to Parliament, Jane Kibirige told Uganda Radio Network-URN that MPs need to amend the Rules of Procedure to specifically provide penalties for members who miss a certain number of committee meetings.

Currently, committee chairpersons notify the Speaker about the perpetual absentees and she takes action by cautioning the legislators. Kibirige says that there is need for a specific rule to provide mechanisms to reprimand MPs who skip committee meetings.

Butaleja Woman MP, Milly Mugeni,  Bufumbira South MP, Sam Bitangaro  and Kabarole Woman MP, Sylvia Rwabogo welcome the proposal to sanctions the legislators to curb absenteeism.

They however, note that there is need to ensure that standing and sectoral committees don’t hold meetings at the same time to eliminate competition and conflict.

Mukono South MP, Johnson Muyanja says absenteeism will only be stormed if voters are sensitized on the role of their representatives in the House.

Parliament has 27 committees including standing and sectoral committees.  Each MP is supposed to belong to one standing and sectoral committee.  Sectoral committees are changed every year while standing committees are changed every 2 and half years.

The Committee chairpersons and members earn Shillings 100,000 and Shillings 50,000 for each sitting respectively.

*****

URN