Uganda: Parliamentary Commission constituted

The Parliamentary Commission, established under Article 87A of the Constitution, has been fully constituted with the endorsement of the Leader of the Opposition and four back bench Commissioners.

Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi takes up the mantle of the Leader of the Opposition, replacing Hon. Mathias Mpuuga.

Mpuuga will now serve as a backbench Commissioner of the House representing the Opposition, alongside Hon. Solomon Silwany, Hon. Prossy Akampurira and Hon. Esther Afoyochan, who retained their positions as backbench Commissioners representing the ruling National Resistance Movement Party.

Speaker Anita Among made the pronouncements during the plenary sitting on Tuesday, 09 January 2024 after both the Government Chief Whip, Hon. Hamson Obua, and the Chief Opposition whip, Hon. John Baptist Nambeshe formally presented the names of the office bearers.

Section 2 (2) of the Administration of Parliament Act provides for the composition of the Commission, the highest decision-making organ of the Legislature to include: Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Leader of Government Business, Leader of the Opposition, the Minister responsible for Finance and four Commissioners (Backbench Members of Parliament).

The Clerk to Parliament is Secretary to the Commission, whose functions include to exercise disciplinary control over staff; and to make recommendations on the allowances payable and privileges available to the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Members of Parliament, among others.

Among also announced that Hon. Abdu Katuntu (Indep., Bugweri County) would replace Hon. Eric Musana (Indep., Buyaga East County) as a representative of independents at the Pan African Parliament.

Hon. Elijah Okupa (Indep., Kasilo County) has taken up a position as a member of the board of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).

During the sitting, new leadership and membership of different Standing Committees of Parliament was constituted, with Hon. Medard Sseggona replacing Ssenyonyi as the Chairperson of the Committee on Public Accounts (Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises – COSASE).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.