A group of legislators from Northern Uganda has criticized the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament (LoP), Mr. Joel Ssenyonyi, for his comments regarding regional Parliamentary sittings.
Mr. Ssenyonyi described the move as a waste of taxpayers’ money.
During a press conference held at Parliament on Wednesday, the legislators expressed their dissatisfaction with Mr. Ssenyonyi’s efforts to dissuade MPs from attending the regional sittings, accusing him of seeking media attention through biased opinions.
Planned Regional Sittings
Parliament is set to hold four regional sittings, starting with a three-day plenary session on August 28, 2024, at the Kaunda Grounds in Gulu City, Northern Uganda.
A section of MPs insists that these sittings should proceed as planned.
Ms. Faith Nakut, Woman MP for Napak District, questioned whether Mr. Ssenyonyi’s opposition would be the same if the sittings were starting in another region.
She emphasized the need for objective thinking and suggested allowing the sittings to go on. Kole North MP, Dr. Samuel Opio Acuti, accused Mr. Ssenyonyi of creating division and neglecting Northern Uganda.
LoP Ssenyonyi’s Position
Mr. Ssenyonyi, after chairing a closed-door opposition shadow cabinet meeting, criticized the planned regional sittings, citing an estimated cost of Shs5 billion per region as a waste of resources. He demobilized opposition MPs from attending the sittings, arguing that such expenditure is hard to justify to the public.
Opposition from Northern Uganda Legislators
Northern Uganda legislators, including Democratic Party Whip in Parliament Mr. Peter Okot, rebutted Mr. Ssenyonyi’s stance, urging the opposition to use regional meetings to highlight their presence and scrutinize government actions.
Mr. Okot emphasized the need for the opposition to engage with constituents outside Kampala.
Parliament spokesperson Chris Obore argued that the sittings would not incur additional costs to taxpayers and would bring numerous benefits, including exposing MPs to different parts of the country.
He described the Opposition’s boycott as a political stunt.
Ssenyonyi’s Defense
In response, Mr. Ssenyonyi maintained that the opposition is against the concept of regional sittings in general, not just those in Northern Uganda.
He stressed that the public prioritizes essential services over costly meetings. He criticized the justification of budgeted expenditures that do not align with the people’s needs, using the example of funds allocated to Roko Construction Company.
House Speaker Ms. Anita Among announced during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on June 6th that Parliament would hold regional sittings. She invited President Museveni to open the inaugural sitting in Gulu, scheduled for later this month.