KAMPALA – Speaker Rebecca Kadaga has told off ministers for failing to provide responses to questions raised by Ugandans through their members of Parliament that time to massage cabinet has come to an end and must account to electorates.
Kadaga made the remarks during Thursday’s plenary sitting after no Minister showed up for the sitting despite issuing notice on Tuesday that Thursday would be dedicated for Cabinet to answer all pending questions on the order paper.
Angry Kadaga said, “The items of this Thursday are representational roles and this is what the Government is trying to avoid. The Ministers must come and respond to concerns of Ugandans. It appears that the Prime Minister and his cabinet have abdicated their responsibility, we aren’t going to massage the cabinet, I gave them notice of the business of today the issues raised must be answered.”
Her remarks were in response to pleas by Santa Alum (Oyam Woman) who reminded the speaker that the first two responses have been on the order paper for over five months and called on the Speaker to reign over the conduct of some Ministers she described as unbecoming.
Alum said, “Some of the Ministers are unbecoming, they aren’t respecting your chairperson. How will Parliament proceed with its business without responses from the executive? We are only seeing three ministers, these are junior ministers not cabinet ministers. Isn’t it procedurally right that you take a stand against some of the ministers so that the house moves?”
Her sentiments were reechoed by Theodore Ssekikuubo (Lwemiyaga County) who asked Kadaga to adjourn the sitting for five minutes to allow Ministers come and answer the questions.
Ssekikuubo said Parliament needs to deal with violence meted on civilians by security officers saying if Parliament continues with its business without dealing with the violence as if there is normalcy in the country that would be the highest deception at the country.
“It is important that your ruling is respected, you have made the ruling in this chair. We can’t sit here and have rulings made in vain. It is only proper that the sanctity, authority of this house is restored, you can’t have refuge anywhere. This is the cradle of the house for the peace of this country,” said Ssekikuubo.
