Kadaga Suspends House Sittings over Kyankwanzi Meet

Business at Parliament has been put on hold for about a week to allow the ruling National Resistance Movement party to transact internal activities during an eight-day retreat at the National Leadership Institute, Kyankwanzi.

The NRM party is expected to, among other issues; re-affirm one of the resolutions passed last year during the same period at Kyankwanzi, endorsing President Yoweri Museveni as the party’s sole presidential flag bearer for the 2016 general election.

Other issues on the agenda include discussions on the progress of the implementation of the NRM manifesto, as well as internal party wrangles.

The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga has suspended the House until February 17th, in a decision made by the Business Committee which sat Thursday afternoon to consider House business for the 4th session of the 9th Parliament.

In her brief communication to Members of Parliament Thursday evening, Kadaga noted that with the NRM party having majority of MPs in Parliament, it would not be practical to convene plenary sittings.

However, the opposition has on several occasions criticised the ruling party for disrupting Parliament business through organizing party meetings that clash with Parliamentary work.

Some of the pending work to be transacted in Parliament includes several bills such as the Registration of Persons Bill 2014; The Anti-Corruption amendment bill, as well as a motion for a resolution of Parliament to set up a select committee to investigate the performance of the privatisation unit of the Ministry of Finance.

Also, the Physical Infrastructure committee is expected to table its report on a petition by the residents of Kasokoso, Kiganda and Banda b1 over land evictions and destruction of property.

The Speaker has however directed government to urgently table the constitutional amendments, citing pressure from the public, opposition and civil society to have the reforms passed.

Recently, the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Wafula Oguttu revealed plans to table a private members’ bill on electoral reforms, if government does not fast track the process.