The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Annet Among, has defended the regional parliamentary sittings, saying it’s an initiative to bring Parliament closer to the people.
Speaker Among made the remarks after a memorial mass for the late Speaker Jacob Oulanya held on August 27, 2024, in Gulu, Northern Uganda, where the first regional sitting will be held from August 28 to 30, 2024.
In her remarks, the Speaker emphasized that regional sittings will not only benefit the regions administratively but also economically since they come with huge business opportunities.
She also highlighted the legality of the regional sittings, citing the constitutional provision that allows the Speaker to allocate and proclaim parliament to any location, not just Kampala.
“The sitting in Gulu is a normal sitting; we can proclaim and sit anywhere; that is what the law says,” Among said.
Speaker Among also paid tribute to the late Oulanya, who died in 2022 and laid a wreath, stating that the scheduling of the first regional parliamentary sitting in Gulu was in honor of his memory.
She also pledged to continue supporting Oulanya’s family, including his father, and to pay school fees for his children until they complete their education.
The Speaker’s remarks come after the Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LOP), Joel Ssenyonyi, called for the boycott of the sessions, citing wasteful expenditure.