Joel Ssenyonyi, the Leader of Opposition, has rejected a proposal by Speaker of Parliament Anita Among to hold plenary sittings in various parts of the country, calling it a waste of taxpayers’ money.
During a press briefing by opposition members in parliament on Tuesday, Ssenyonyi emphasized that the focus should be on the content of discussions rather than the location of plenary sessions.
“What Uganda needs is service to the people, not moving to different regions,” Ssenyonyi stated. He criticized the proposal to move plenary sittings to Gulu, Lira, Masaka, Mbarara, Mbale, and other areas, arguing that such a move would not benefit the citizens.
Ssenyonyi further accused Speaker Among of bypassing the Parliamentary Commission and Business Committee, the bodies responsible for such decisions, by making the proposal unilaterally. He urged the Speaker not to personify these offices, highlighting that no meetings were held to discuss the financial implications of hosting regional plenary sittings.
He said: “In a letter that I addressed to the Speaker last week, I stated that this sittings have got financial implications. If you are going to carry 529 Mps to Gulu for example, plus staff, it means transport, fuel, per-diem for everyone. As opposition we are concerned”
Ssenyonyi encouraged the Speaker to allow the systems to function properly and let the institution work as intended. He pointed out that the Parliamentary Commission last convened in August 2023. Since assuming the role of Leader of Opposition in January 2024, he has not attended a single Parliamentary Commission meeting.
Ssenyonyi questioned why operations were being conducted in this manner and what might be hidden. He noted that while he understands that meetings are happening and sub-committees have been established to prepare, leaders like himself are not being informed. As the Leader of Opposition, he has not received any formal communication regarding these developments.
“Why are we operating this way? What is being hidden? I understand meetings are happening, sub-committees have been put in place to prepare but we the leaders we don’t know. As the Leader of Opposition, I haven’t got a formal communication,” he added
The opposition leader expressed concerns about the effective use of public funds and the importance of proper procedural conduct within parliamentary operations.
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