Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa has defended the decision to hold Parliament sessions in regional locations, stating that such arrangements are in line with established parliamentary procedures. According to Tayebwa, the Rules of Procedure of Parliament grant the Speaker the authority to decide on the venue for parliamentary sittings.
Tayebwa compared the current regional sessions to previous instances when Parliament met at venues like Serena Hotel and Kololo Independence Grounds. He noted that during those times, there was no motion to approve the change of venue. “Under Rule 7 of the General Authority of the Speaker, the Speaker has the discretion to choose the location for parliamentary sittings,” Tayebwa explained. “We did not have motions authorizing us to sit at Serena or Kololo.”
He also addressed concerns about the costs associated with the regional sittings. Reports had suggested that Parliament would spend sh5 billion on the regional session in northern Uganda. Tayebwa dismissed these reports, stating that the actual cost would be disclosed to MPs in due course. He criticized the media for spreading misinformation and clarified that the figure of sh5 billion per day was incorrect.
Tayebwa responded to MP Patrick Nsamba’s concerns about whether MPs had approved the decision to hold sessions in the regions. Nsamba had questioned whether such a move required parliamentary approval.
In July, Speaker Anita Among announced that Parliament would hold some of its sittings in the regions to better connect with the people. However, this decision faced opposition from some MPs, including Leader of Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi, who criticized the move as a waste of funds.
Nsamba reiterated the need for a parliamentary discussion and consensus on the matter. “We need to discuss this and reach an agreement as a House,” Nsamba said.
Tayebwa has promised to address these concerns by convening a meeting with the top leadership to resolve the issue. “We will formally update you on Tuesday or Wednesday during the sitting,” Tayebwa said. He emphasized that internal parliamentary matters should not be subject to public debate and urged MPs to focus on resolving these issues within the House.
Armed with a Laptop and a cup of coffee, Rothschild is on a mission to conquer the news world, one headline at a time.