The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among has directed all committee chairpersons to submit attendance lists of MPs to her office, upon which warning letters are to be issued to culprits of absenteeism.
Speaking to Members of Parliament during Tuesday’s morning sitting, Among indicated that she had already accessed the plenary register and called for a meeting with committee chairpersons in which they are to submit their attendance registers.
“Government Chief Whip, Whip on the Opposition you have a lot of work to do,” Among warned. “Members are not attending the House, members are not attending committees…we are forced to give you warning letters…because we have talked about this each and every day. We are using taxpayers’ money but you are not in the constituency, not in the house…so where are you?”
She said that it was time for Parliament’s presiding officers to take action in order to solve the issue of absenteeism.
Among encouraged MPs to continue to ensure that their attendance of plenary sittings and committees is captured on the biometric system and attendance book respectively to enable a clear assessment.
The Speaker’s communication follows an earlier warning this month by her Deputy, Thomas Tayebwa to MPs and Ministers who do not attend plenary sittings. Tayebwa then said that any MP who misses 15 consecutive sittings of parliament was to lose their seat.
“You are all supposed to attend parliament, whether you are a Minister, Member of Parliament, or ex-officio minister. We have agreed that all members must attend, and if you miss 15 consecutive times, you risk losing your seat,” Tayebwa then said.
He added that MPs should not use the excuse of Covid-19, since parliament is now fully opened and all MPs are expected to attend and clock in to register their presence. Tayebwa told MPs that the presiding officers of the House were to begin picking the registration list for review and action.
Reacting to the communication by the House presiding officers, Solomon Silwany, the Bukooli Central MP said that measures to ensure attendance of MPs were welcome.
However, the Parliamentary Commissioner appealed for lenience saying that MPs are sometimes delayed by other businesses of parliament to attend plenary sittings.
But, Speaker Among said that the Commissioner should have been the last person to make such a statement.
“You can only be seen to perform, if you are in the House, constituency, at committee level but if you are not seen anywhere…not even in the precincts of parliament…so where are you?” wondered Among. “Do you want me to fail because you are failing? I am never going to allow (us)to fail, we will not allow failure as presiding officers because you want to have that laxity in you.”
Asuman Basalirwa, the Bugiri Municipality said that regarding the issue of attendance and pending sanctions, it was important for the presiding officers to guide on an earlier requirement for MPs to attend the plenary sittings in shifts and others online.
Parliament last year decided to have MPs attend parliament in shifts of 100 in order to ensure social distancing which is one of the Standard Operating Procedure of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Political Party Whips were then required to select MPs to attend plenary in shifts while others followed proceedings on Zoom. The Eleventh Parliament has a total of 529 MPs and all of these cannot be accommodated in the Chambers at once.
Basalirwa wondered whether this was reversed and an official communication made to MPs to enable all of them attend. He also wondered whether those who have been attending plenary sittings virtually would be captured in the attendance register.
Among said that the requirement to have members sit in shifts of 100 was lifted last week by the Deputy Speaker. She also said that those attending sittings virtually are required to make it known to the Speaker and Clerk to Parliament 12 hours before.
Allan Mayanja, the Nakaseke Central MP said that they are faced with the challenge of Standing Committees and Sectoral Committees holding meetings on the same day and time. He said that this makes it difficult for them to attend the different committees on which they are designated.
However, Among said that her office had written to the different chairpersons of committees to harmonize their scheduled meetings.
Denis Hamson Obua, the Government Chief Whip pledged to ensure that MPs attend sittings of parliament and undertook to comply with directives on ‘whipping’ Ministers to ensure their presence in plenary.
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