The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa (pictured) has issued a directive banning travels of lawmakers during the plenary sittings, saying this has affected attendance of MPs during the plenary sittings.
He issued the directive during today’s plenary sitting, saying that some Committees have made it a habit to prioritize work of their committees but when it comes to reports from other Committees, they are absent.
The Deputy Speaker’s directive followed information indicating that committees are always in the field when there is plenary and many members of the committees in the end come complaining that such activities outside Parliament affect their attendance in plenary.
“No clerk or no committee chairperson should take committee members in the field when we have plenary. This will only happen upon special clearance by the presiding officer or on a special assignment and all the committees which were going to the field tomorrow their businesses are hereby canceled, no one should go. You need to do work of this House,” said Tayebwa.
The development comes at the time Speaker threatened to deal with MPs who continuously abscond from attending both plenary and committee meetings, saying this is cheating taxpayers who pay MPs to carry out legislative and oversight duties.
