Government ready to table Bills on merging agencies

The proposed Bills include the Rationalisation of Government Agencies (Education Sector) (Amendments) Bill, 2024 and the Rationalisation of Government Agencies (Internal Affairs Sector) (Amendments) Bill, 2024.

Also to be tabled will be the Rationalisation of Government Agencies (Natural Resources and Environment Sector) (Amendments) Bill, 2024 as well as the Rationalisation of Government Agencies (Works and Transport Sector) (Amendments) Bill, 2024.

Nabbanja said this during the plenary sitting on Thursday, 08 February 2024, while tabling business that government intends to bring to Parliament.

The Bills come at a time when government has been put on the spot by legislators over what they termed as piecemeal amendments to the Constitution in a bid to merge some government agencies.

Particularly in November 2023, MPs challenged the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2023 that entailed provisions to merge the Equal Opportunities Commission with the Uganda Human Rights Commission.

During plenary at the time, the Minister for Public Service, Hon. Wilson Muruli Mukasa, had committed to engage respective Parliament Committees on the agencies being rationalised, so as to present a concrete position to the House.

Relatedly, Nabbanja has also listed the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2023 among the business to be brought before Parliament in the succeeding week.

Five other Bills on the list include the National Tribunal Bill, 2023, the Uganda Health Professional Regulatory Council Bill, 2023, the Arbitration and Reconciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2024, the Karamoja Development Agency (Repeal) Bill, 2024 and the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

“The Minister for Internal Affairs will also present a statement in the House updating the country on the process and guidelines on the renewal of national identification cards as requested by Parliament,” Nabbanja added.