A research report released by the East African Political Research Institute (EAPRI) has ranked Joel Ssenyonyi the worst-performing Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LOP) since the position was established in Uganda’s Parliament in 1958.
The report, released on Monday, September 30, 2024, evaluated Ssenyonyi’s performance since he took office in December 2023. It measured his effectiveness in addressing key national issues, engaging with both parliamentary colleagues and the public, and his ability to galvanize opposition parties.
The findings resonate with public sentiment, which suggests that Ssenyonyi’s tenure has been characterized by a lack of coherent strategy and ineffective communication, undermining the opposition’s influence in Parliament and its capacity to hold the government accountable.
Key findings of the EAPRI report highlight a significant drop in public engagement and visibility of the opposition during Ssenyonyi’s leadership. “The opposition should serve as a robust check on the government; unfortunately, Ssenyonyi’s approach has led to missed opportunities and diminished credibility of the LOP’s office,” the report states.
The analysis revealed that Ssenyonyi has failed to articulate a clear agenda or mobilize support for critical issues, leading to perceptions of ineffectiveness among both the public and his parliamentary colleagues. Instances of unproductive debates and missed opportunities to confront government policies were cited as major shortcomings.
This is the second time Ssenyonyi is under scrutiny over poor performance during his tenures of leadership in Parliament. In January 2023, while he was still heading the Committee of Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises—COSASE, the Speaker of Parliament Anita Among ordered a value-for-money audit in the Committee, accusing its leadership of underperformance.
This was after Among revealed that out of 107 entities referred to the Ssenyonyi-led Committee for further probe following the recommendation of the Auditor General for the Financial Year 2020/2021, they were only able to scrutinize the operations of four entities, a clear sign of incompetence and underperformance.
With only a few months remaining in his tenure as LOP, it remains uncertain whether Ssenyonyi can recover and reshape his leadership legacy. For now, the EAPRI report stands as a critical evaluation of his performance and a rallying point for necessary reform within the opposition.
