The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has said that starting next week plenary business is going to be conducted from the Conference hall as one of the measures to control the spread of coronavirus pandemic.
The plenary business is normally conducted in the chambers but since its usually congested, the Speaker ordered legislators to vacate it for a more spacious conference hall where members may have to sit 1.5 metres away from each other in order to reduce risks.
“Members since people are not supposed to sit near each other, we shall move to the Conference hall to protect ourselves from coronavirus outbreak. Clerk is directed to make the arrangements,” she said during the Thursday plenary sitting.
“The canteen will be strictly for members and staff. Non-members will not be allowed there. We are also advised not to conduct fundraising in constituencies; don’t organise football matches. No personal visitors will be allowed. Receiving of mail will be done at the main gate and I have instructed the clerk to assign an officer to shuttle between the main gate and the building to ensure that mail has arrived. Hand wash facilities will be placed in strategic areas.”
She also added that there will be scaling down of staff to see who remains or goes home. Those who are not very critical will have to work from their homes. This task was given to the clerk to ensure that staff members are scaled down on the numbers.
Kadaga also suspended the intern students, personal assistants of the Members, staff of parliament with effect from tomorrow. And the sergeant at arms and police commander all have been informed of this directive.
“We have requested for temperature guns from the Ministry of Health. Starting from tomorrow, they will be available so that our Members and staff are checked before they reach different parts of Parliament,” she said.
The clerk was also tasked to assign someone to remain in the lifts and dispense sanitisers or ensure that they check regularly to ensure that the sanitisers are available in the lifts.
The number of visitors to Parliament will also be limited for the next 32 days. These include school visits and other persons who do not have critical business at the building.
She also nominated MPs to join the National Taskforce on coronavirus fight and these include; workers representative Arinaitwe Rwakajara, Buhweju County MP Francis Mwijukye, Ayivu County MP Atiku Bernard and the woman MP Nakapiripirit Esther Anyakun. Others include Sergeant at Arms and the Parliament doctor.
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