By Kabuye Ronald
Speaker of Parliament Rt Hon Anita Among has expressed displeasure over the persistent absenteeism of MPs and ministers in Parliament which she said is in total disregard of tax payers’ money from which their salaries are drawn.
In a message issued at the commencement of today’s plenary sitting, Speaker Among demanded that the legislators honor their role of legislation among other duties as expected by law as opposed to absconding.
“You are spending tax payers’ money and yet you are not here in the House,” Speaker Among said adding that this would result into nullification of laws passed once the House is devoid of numbers.
“The bills are being thrown out because of quorum. You cannot even afford to come and sit here,” Speaker Among said.
To this end, Speaker Among said: “Let’s be fair to Ugandans as Members of Parliament.”
Kiira Municipality MP Ssemujju Nganda, who also observed the embarrassing absence of ministers, expressed displeasure that no minister was present in the August House by commencement.
He moved to suspend plenary to allow MPs and minsters attend, but was over ruled because of the urgent matters that were up for deliberation in the sitting.
“I am not in the culture of suspending the House. I will conduct business even if there is only one member,” Speaker ruled.
She urged the electorate not to consider sending back MPs that are liabilities.
Subsequently, she directed that an audit be conducted on attendance of the MPs and ministers so that the electorate can hold their representatives accountable.
The call for the audit will be expected among others, to tame and reverse on the escalating level of absenteeism in Parliament considering that previous warnings have not been headed by a section of MPs.
