Published on 09/08/2024
In May 2024, Speaker Anita Among’s plan to hold Parliament’s first regional session in Gulu divided Members of parliament. Opposition members vowed to boycott calling the Ugx. 20Bn budget wasteful while others defended the move accusing them of neglecting the Northern region.
Tensions that had been simmering as the August 28th sitting approached boiled over after a closed-door meeting between Speaker Among and MPs from Northern Uganda. Following the meeting, Anthony Akol (Kilak North) informed journalists that the sittings had been extended from two to three days and that Parliament had committed to fencing Boma Grounds as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.
“Today, in the meeting with the Speaker, we agreed to extend the sittings. Parliament will now sit on the 28th, 29th, and 30th of August. Additionally, different Committees of Parliament—Education, Health, Agriculture, and Physical Infrastructure—have been on the ground gathering issues from the community that will be discussed in Parliament,” Akol stated.
Akol further emphasized that more time should be devoted to Northern Uganda’s concerns, noting that similar sittings would take place in Western, Central, and Eastern Uganda. He added that the decision to fence Boma Grounds would leave a lasting impact on the Gulu community.
Opposition Announces Boycott
In response to these developments, Joel Ssenyonyi, the Leader of the Opposition, announced that the Shadow Cabinet would boycott the regional sittings. He cited concerns over the secrecy surrounding the organization of these events and the Shs20Bn budget allocated for the four regional sittings, with Shs5Bn designated for each region.
“We understand that Shs5Bn is to be spent on each sitting, not just all of them combined. The first one in Gulu, then Mbarara, Mbale, and one in Central Uganda. The cost includes transporting MPs, staff, and logistics. We question whether this expenditure is justifiable. Parliament could sit in its designated places without incurring these extra costs,” Ssenyonyi argued.
He also criticized the lack of transparency in organizing the regional sittings, revealing that his requests for clarification had been ignored by the Speaker.
“As the Shadow Cabinet, we find it problematic to participate in an arrangement that has kept us in the dark. This expenditure is difficult to justify to the public and our constituents. It is total wastage, and we do not want to be part of it,” Ssenyonyi added.
Northern Uganda MPs Defend Regional Sittings
The Opposition’s boycott quickly sowed seeds of division, with MPs from Northern Uganda, both from the NRM and the Opposition, criticizing Ssenyonyi’s stance. The debate soon took on tribal overtones, with Northern MPs portraying themselves as victims and accusing the Opposition of discriminating against their region.
Northern Uganda MPs questioned why Ssenyonyi would describe the Gulu sitting as a waste of taxpayers’ money, arguing that the funds had already been approved in the budget. Judith Alyek (Kole DWR) asked, “Where is the wastage the Leader of Opposition is talking about? This is Committee money, not his. Is he jealous of Northern Uganda? Does he not want development in our region?”
Faith Nakut (Napak DWR) accused Ssenyonyi of seeking relevance and questioned whether he and his Shadow Cabinet were unwilling to endure the discomfort of staying away from their homes in Kampala to address Northern Uganda’s challenges.
“The Leader of the Opposition should speak for everyone in this country, including those in Northern Uganda. Can’t we manage the discomfort for three days to bring Parliament to the people of Northern Uganda?” Nakut asked.
LOP Defends Boycott
In response to the Northern MPs’ criticism, Ssenyonyi urged them not to tribalize the issue, insisting that the opposition to the regional sittings was based on fiscal responsibility, not tribal bias. He argued that the Shs5Bn could be better spent on improving services in the region rather than on a meeting.
“The poverty in some of these areas makes it difficult to justify spending Shs5Bn on a meeting. We oppose regional sittings in the North, West, East, and Central regions. We can deliberate on issues affecting Northern Uganda from Kampala without incurring additional costs,” Ssenyonyi said.
He also criticized the Northern MPs for trivializing the matter and making it personal, emphasizing that budget approval does not exempt expenditures from being wasteful.
