Opposition reshuffles Parliament leadership
The Leader of Opposition, Mr Mathias Mpuuga (right), with other Opposition leaders addresses the media at Parliament on June 7, 2022. PHOTO | DAVID LUBOWA
The Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LoP), Mr Mathias Mpuuga, has made changes in the leadership of the Shadow Cabinet and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) - Local Government.
LoP has replaced Mr Martin Mapenduzi Ojara with Mr Gilbert Olanya, the Kilak South County MP, as the chairperson of PAC Local Governments.
The LoP also named Ms Helen Nakimuli, the Kalangala District Woman MP, as the new Shadow minister for Fisheries, and Mr Francis Katongole Katabaazi on the East Africa Community Affairs docket.
Ms Nakimuli replaced Mr Charles Tebandeke while Mr Katabaazi replaces Mr Olanya. Mr Mpuuga said the move is to enhance service delivery.
“We are not reshuffling the cabinet, but we are replacing one member with another to enhance service delivery in the house,” Mr Mpuuga said yesterday.
Mr Olanya, who has since moved to PAC, said he was ready to serve.
“It is true that I have moved to PAC-Local Government. The LoP communicated this decision to us during the meeting and I am ready for my new assignment,” he said.
Mr Olanya brings into PAC a wealth of experience having previously worked the committee before. During the 10th Parliament, he was the vice chairperson of the same committee.
“On the task ahead, I am ready for it and together with the committee members, we hope to achieve the best. This committee looks at cities, municipalities, town councils, and the district local governments. We shall make sure we examine their performances and ensure that they deliver to the population,” he said.
Mr Olanya also paid tribute to Mr Mapenduzi, who he said worked tirelessly to steer the business of the committee.
“I thank Mr Mapenduzi for the great work he has done while chairing the committee. He laid a sound foundation for the committee to perform its mandate and we shall forever be grateful to him. We shall continue from where he stopped,” he said.
Mapenduzi troubles
Trouble for Mr Mapenduzi, the Bardege-Layibi Division MP, with the Opposition started on February 23 when he moved a notice with the Clerk to Parliament Adolf Mwesige seeking the removal of Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake from the office of the parliamentary commission.
Mapenduzi at the time said, Zaake, without exercising the avenues afforded to members in the Parliament Rules of Procedure took to social media to abuse and insult the then Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Ms Anita Among (now Speaker).
Sources familiar said emissaries were sent to mediate between Mr Zaake and Ms Among and that while Mr Zaake was ready to apologise, the Speaker allegedly rejected the mediation. Mr Zaake later lost the commission job, accusing Ms Among of engineering the move. He has since moved to court to challenge the decision of Parliament.
