The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Mathias Mpuuga, has welcomed the new directives announced by Deputy Speaker Tayebwa where is urged Members of Parliament to adhere to appropriate decorum and dress code when participating in parliamentary sessions.
During a press conference held at Parliament on Thursday, Mpuuga acknowledged that the Deputy Speaker’s call is particularly timely, especially for members of the ruling party who may require a reminder of parliamentary protocols.
“As the opposition, we welcome and respect the Deputy Speaker’s admonition. It is indeed prudent to observe the systematic order of proceedings within Parliament. Sometimes, Parliament may resemble a casual gathering, but the Deputy Speaker’s initiative is a step in the right direction. We support this move to ensure that Parliament functions in an orderly manner. As the opposition, we are in full agreement with this sentiment,” he affirmed.
Mathias Mpuuga emphasized that the message primarily targets members of the leading party and commended the Deputy Speaker for facilitating the necessary organization within the House.
In his quest to promote decorum and etiquette in Parliament, Mpuuga also made a request to the Speaker regarding the seating arrangement of members. He pointed out that certain members, particularly from the ruling party, tend to sit together, which occasionally leads to disruptions and paints an unfavourable image of the opposition.
“On my side, where I lead, there are individuals whom I am not familiar with. I do not know who they are or what their preferences are when they come to Parliament. Thus, I would kindly request the Speaker’s intervention in this matter to help me identify the members on my side. This would enable me to represent them effectively in case of any issues. Additionally, it would restore respect and order in Parliament,” Mpuuga explained.
In a recent development, the Deputy Speaker issued a set of warnings aimed at preventing disruptions and ensuring the smooth operation of the House. He introduced new regulations and highlighted two crucial rules that all members must adhere to at all times. The Deputy Speaker also cautioned legislators against engaging in misconduct and making personal attacks on each other.
“It is deemed inappropriate to use offensive, abusive, insulting, blasphemous, or unbecoming language, or to impute improper motives to a fellow member or make personal allusions. While I acknowledge your duty to represent your constituencies, as the guardian of the rules, I also bear the responsibility of safeguarding the dignity of this House. I implore my honourable colleagues to respect one another’s opinions because it is within the confines of Parliament that we should accommodate diverse perspectives. I will provide opportunities for speaking, as long as the content aligns with the established rules,” the Deputy Speaker iterated, reading the rules of procedure verbatim.
New guidelines
In his communication from the chair, Mr Tayebwa, as the custodian of the House rules of procedure, banned impromptu reactions to the Speaker’s communication and asked lawmakers to adhere to the official dress code.
“I want us to enforce the rules properly including the dress code. So dressing code which is clearly provided for under rule 82 of our rules of procedure will be because under African wear is where we have had an abuse. I will no longer allow shirts in the house and because this is a place of dignity and suits,” the Deputy Speaker said.
“I want us to apply properly what is defined as African shirts some are bought in Europe, they are not even African and this rule also applies to committees. It has been brought to my attention that members walk in committees in jeans sneakers converse in flats, some are about to enter in shorts and also for the women, kindly try to be as decent as possible.”
He added: “With effect from today [October 18 2023] and onwards, if a member for example has an injury, and he or she approaches the speaker in time, and he or she explains him or herself, we can have an exception and we understand the member is injured he cannot put on the suit.”
In order to bring order to the House, the Deputy Speaker also banned lawmakers from approaching the speaker’s chair during plenary sessions. This is intended to avoid disrupting the Speaker’s attention in the House.
“I want to repeat this. No more walking over to the speaker except for three people. Number one, the leader of government business and it doesn’t mean that we do it all the time, the leader of government business, the leader of the opposition the government chief whip and any other person whom the speaker or presiding officer can invite for consultation but you will be approaching the chair through chits,” the Deputy Speaker Tayebwa ruled.
He added: “I have seen flexibility is never rewarded and you have proved that to me from all sides. Of course, I will remain steadfast and I can assure you of this am a very patient character and I will continue being patient…. I want us to apply the rules here the way they are….the rules I will be applying are rules which honourable colleagues you make and I must implement including when I make a ruling it will be final. If you want to challenge my ruling, the rules give you a leeway to challenge it.”
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