The Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) party President, Jimmy James Akena has said that the planned regional parliamentary sittings have very little positive impact on the local communities in Uganda.
Akena who was in Kaberamaido district for the burial of Emmanuel Andrew Eyadu, one of the UPC’s stalwarts in the Teso said that almost all the issues affecting Ugandans from different regions have been discussed on the floor of parliament sitting in Kampala, yet there’s little or no response from the government.
Citing the issues of cattle compensation in Acholi, Lango and Teso sub regions, Akena said that most of the beneficiaries have died without receiving their compensation even after legislation on the same. According to Akena, parliament would rather concentrate on issues of interest to Ugandans especially on health, education and economic empowerment.
Akena’s remarks followed a statement by the Kaberamaido LCV Chairperson, Victor Ekesu, who described the planned parliamentary sittings as a waste of resources amidst several needs from the community.
Ekesu noted that whereas Ugandans have very many pressing needs like health that require funding, the National Assembly priority for regional sittings leaves a lot desired from the Members of Parliament.
Like Ekesu, the UPC party President said that Ugandans resources need to be prioritised to serve the interest of the common person.
Parliament plans to hold it’s first regional sitting in Gulu City starting on Wednesday 28 to Friday 30 August, 2024. The Parliamentary Commission chaired by Anita Among reportedly plans to spend up twenty billion shillings on the regional parliamentary sittings.
However, a section of people and institutions including the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi have criticized the move.
In Kaberamaido, Akena was burying a 90- year- old former health inspector who retired from Jinja Municipality then. Eyadu is among the thousands of people seeking cattle compensation from the government.
