Workers’ MPs Protest Delayed Debate On Controversial NSSF Bill

Deputy Speaker Anita Among has called for calm among MPs

A section of Workers Representatives have expressed displeasure by the decision of Parliament administration to postpone for the second time a debate on the controversial National Social Security Amendment Bill 2021.

Last week, Flavia Kabahenda (DWR Kyegegwa) who also doubles as Chairperson Parliament’s Committee of Gender, Labour and Social Development tabled before Parliament, the Committee report on NSSF Amendment Bill 2021.

After presentation of the Bill, Deputy Speaker Among postponed the debate on the report, citing the need for MPs to read, contexualise and familiarize with the report before a debate can be held on 9^th November ahead of the final scrutiny by Committee of the Whole House.

Indeed on Tuesday, debate on NSSF Amendment Bill featured on the order paper but by the time plenary was adjourned, the debate hadn’t been opened by the Deputy Speaker.

The Workers MPs who have been championing this legislation were further left anxious to discover that the NSSF Amendment Bill 2021 had been pushed further from the order paper to items to follow.

This decision prompted Agnes Kunihira (Workers Representative to ask Deputy Speaker about the change of events.

“I recall well you promised that because of time, you will be giving us time to debate. Yesterday we anxiously waited to debate that report and the debate wasn’t reached and we believed that the bill will appear on the order paper but the bill doesn’t appear on record and maybe we need to guided on what is happening, remember when the bill was being tabled here, the speaker promised it will be given priority,” Kunihira said.

Among called for calm among Workers MPs saying that the bill on the order paper and hasn’t been struck off, but it was pushed forward to allow the 80% MPs who are new in Parliament to understand the bill before debate can be held.

“This is a very important bill, so we need to debate from an informed point of view, what. You aren’t just going to start debating on what other members haven’t understood. So members need to understand the bill,” she said, adding: “ The bill will be in this house, it is still on the order paper, just rest your mind that it will come.”