Parliament's Business Disrupted as Government Ministers Fail to Attend Session

September 6, 2023

By Kundu Ronald

Kampala– In a surprising turn of events, the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, hastily adjourned a parliamentary session today due to the conspicuous absence of government Ministers, leaving Members of Parliament frustrated and constituents without a voice.

The scheduled session held great promise, with important items on the Order Paper, including a motion seeking leave of Parliament to introduce the Rainwater (Harvesting and Storage) Bill and a motion for the adoption of the report of the committee on government assurances and implementation regarding stabilizing fuel prices.

However, the absence of government Ministers made it impossible for Members of Parliament to proceed with their agenda. This disruption sparked Speaker Among's concern, prompting her to address the issue publicly.

"As you see, this is one of the abandoned Houses, and we are wondering whether we still have Ministers; how do we handle the House; Members have issues; how do we handle the House without Ministers," Speaker Among remarked during the adjournment. She expressed her intention to have a conversation with the Executive to resolve the perennial absenteeism of government ministers.

Speaker Among's move to adjourn the session and seek solutions is in line with parliamentary rules, specifically Rule 25(1) of the Rules of Procedure of Parliament. This rule obliges the Speaker to give priority to Government Business, and in its absence, parliamentary proceedings can stall.

Furthermore, Rule 26(1) of the same regulations emphasizes that Government Business takes precedence over Private Members’ Business on specific days of the week.

The absence of government Ministers not only disrupted parliamentary proceedings but also raised questions about the effectiveness of the legislative body in serving the needs of the people. Many Members of Parliament were unable to present issues affecting their constituencies, leaving constituents without representation on critical matters.

Speaker Anita Among made it clear that this situation cannot continue. "I am not sure we are going to continue like this," she emphasized. "I need to talk to the Executive on this matter. If this House is only meant for Members of Parliament, then let us be told it is meant for only Members of Parliament."

As the Speaker initiates discussions with the Executive to address this matter, the public and Members of Parliament alike will be watching closely to see how the government responds to ensure that parliamentary business can proceed without further disruption.