• Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Login
Watchdog Uganda
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
Watchdog Uganda
No Result
View All Result

We can’t allow you to fail us! Speaker Among to punish MPs over absenteeism 

Everest Mukiibi by Everest Mukiibi
3 years ago
in News, Politics
5 0
Speaker of Parliament Anita Among

Speaker of Parliament Anita Among

ShareTweetSendShare

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 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 MP 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.


Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
Share1Tweet1SendShare

Related Posts

News

Uganda Woos UAE Investors with Vast Opportunities in Agriculture and Tourism

1st July 2025 at 20:07
News

Born To Cry: The Tragic Reality of Birth Asphyxia In Uganda As Government Launches My Baby’s Cry Campaign

1st July 2025 at 19:46
Business

Victoria University Strengthens Ties with Busoga Kingdom Through Educational Partnership

1st July 2025 at 13:40
Next Post

We're determined to improve welfare of troops, says UPDF Land Forces Deputy Commander 

  • Prostitution in Uganda- Courtesy Photo

    10 dangerous hotspots known for prostitutes in Kampala

    1101 shares
    Share 440 Tweet 275
  • LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

    2283 shares
    Share 913 Tweet 571
  • Uganda’s Billionaires 2025: Once Again Sudhir Ruparelia Leads a Resilient Pack

    39 shares
    Share 16 Tweet 10
  • Pastor Bugingo Seeks Reconciliation with Teddy and Children, Prays for Makula’s Twins

    18 shares
    Share 7 Tweet 5
  • LIST : Gov’t releases Revised Salary Structure for Teachers, Police, and Prisons Staff for FY 2024/2025

    112 shares
    Share 45 Tweet 28
Facebook Twitter

Contact Information

Watchdog Uganda is a portal for solution journalism, trending news plus cutting edge commentaries in the fields of politics, security, business, tourism, entertainment, technology, agriculture, climate change, environment, public health et al. We also give preference to Ugandan community news and topical discussions. The portal also publishes community news and topical discussions.

Email: editorial@watchdoguganda.com
To Advertise:Click here

Latest News

Uganda Woos UAE Investors with Vast Opportunities in Agriculture and Tourism

1st July 2025 at 20:07

Born To Cry: The Tragic Reality of Birth Asphyxia In Uganda As Government Launches My Baby’s Cry Campaign

1st July 2025 at 19:46

Check out

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Minister Muruli Mukasa

LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

24th May 2020 at 10:45
Pregnant woman

Shock as 17-year old boy impregnates his two sisters during Covid-19 lockdown 

17th June 2020 at 08:17
Sudhir Ruparelia is set to speak at business forum in United Kingdom

Billionaire Sudhir’s wisdom on how to invest in real estate

0

How a boy’s destiny turned from cotton grower to communications guru

0

Uganda Woos UAE Investors with Vast Opportunities in Agriculture and Tourism

1st July 2025 at 20:07

Born To Cry: The Tragic Reality of Birth Asphyxia In Uganda As Government Launches My Baby’s Cry Campaign

1st July 2025 at 19:46

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda