Opposition seats vacant as regional plenary commences in Gulu

The regional plenary sitting in Gulu city has commenced with a large section of opposition members of Parliament boycotting the event.

The plenary kicked off at 10 am with the proclamation of the speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among at Kaunda Playgrounds in Gulu City.

“Noting that Rule 17.1 of the Rules of Procedure of Parliament provides that parliament meets on such days and places as the Speaker determines. Now therefore, under Rule 17.1 of the Rules of Procedure of Parliament, I hereby proclaim that that parliament shall sit in Kaunda grounds in Gulu city on 28, 29, 30th of August 2024,” she proclaimed.

But the majority of the seats provided for the opposition members of Parliament at the start of the plenary remained vacant with the Leader of Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi a no-show in the house. National Unity Platform with the majority opposition seat in Parliament had only three members in the house.

Early this month, Mr Ssenyonyi while addressing the press criticized the regional plenary sittings describing it as a waste of public resources. He also rallied opposition legislators to boycott the event.

But in her communication to the house, the Speaker reiterated that the boycotters of the plenary were misinforming the country arguing that the regional sitting of Parliament is budget neutral.

She explained that the Parliament is not incurring any additional costs to the sitting adding that the move was a strategic decision taken to upgrade the always budgeted for parliamentary outreaches into a fully-fledged House sitting.

“In these outreaches, we could only go and invite the leaders of the area, and we discuss with the leaders of the areas. But in this case, we say instead of calling only the leadership of the area, let's go and have a sitting in that specific region, get issues that are affecting the region, have resolutions, and forward it to executives for action to be taken in a particular area.,” she said.

Adding “When you look at the budget of Parliament, no money was added for this sitting. So, the misinformation, the people who are moving the misinformation just don't like the northern region,”

According to the Speaker, the Parliament is an arm of the government that can convene anywhere in the country with the proclamation of the Speaker.

“The next time we can sit anywhere, we can even proclaim the middle of Kampala Road to be Parliament, and we shall sit. A people-centred Parliament must be responsive to the needs of the citizens. Or else society will be without effective Parliamentary representation,” she said.

Ms Among however encouraged stakeholders to desist from opposing progressive initiatives aimed at fostering cohesion and growth (13:35) and urged them to instead embrace unity and cooperation in furtherance of inclusive decision-making and progress.

“Let us build Uganda that will work for everybody. You cannot be seen fighting a decision to sit in an area or Gulu, Gulu Kaunda grounds where the Pope was in 1993. Gulu, which is on the map of the political history of Uganda, and you say we are boycotting,”

Parliament Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Mr Chris Obore while addressing the Press August 27 said no extra allowances other than the normal inland travel allowances had been given to legislators to attend the regional plenary sitting.

Mr Obore said each of the legislators was given the standard Shs400,000 as an inland travel allowance for three days amounting to Shs1.2 million. 

The regional plenary sitting is the first of its kind in the country since 1962 when the country attained its impendence. The sitting is expected to be extended to Eastern, Western, and Central Uganda with the major aim of bridging the gap between the parliament and the local populace.

President Museveni is expected to attend the plenary on Thursday, August 29.