Use regional sittings to observe country’s state of affairs – MPs urged

Members of Parliaments (MPs) have been asked to keenly observe Uganda’s governance and general state of affairs and advise accordingly.

The call comes ahead of the Regional parliamentary sittings scheduled for 28th August in Gulu City before the legislators head to Masaka, Mbarara, and Mbale City.

Fred Mukasa Mbidde, a former MP who is also the deputy president of the opposition Democratic Party says the MPs should not go to these sittings for mere map reading but rather do physical identification of the infrastructure priorities.

“First of all, the fundamental belief is at people’s level to govern themselves democratically is proportionate to the degree of their understanding of the structure and functioning of the whole social body. Parliaments and organs of government are just studies conducted by those that have gone to school,” Mbidde said.

With Shs20 billion budgeted for the sittings, several critics especially from the opposition have described the move as a waste of taxpayers’ money, vowing to boycott them.

However, Kole District Woman MP Judith Alyek says these regional parliament sittings were already budgeted for and were even announced several times, including during the State of the Nation Address.

Written by Barbra Anyait