The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament (LoP), Joel Ssenyonyi, has called for the extension of investigations into the alleged budget corruption scandal to include the Parliamentary Commission, the key decision-making body of the legislative arm of government.
This call follows the presentation of three MPs in court on corruption charges after a three-day investigation into suspected budget process tampering. Addressing journalists at Parliament, Mr. Ssenyonyi insisted that the scope of the investigation should be broadened to scrutinize the activities of the Parliamentary Commission, of which he is a mandated member.
“As some MPs are being arrested, we need to broaden the investigation of the Parliament of Uganda, beginning with the Parliamentary Commission because that is where a lot of things are happening. If the people investigating Parliament are serious, they should start with the Parliamentary Commission,” Mr. Ssenyonyi emphasized.
Mr. Ssenyonyi also revealed that he has frequently been excluded from the Commission’s meetings. “There is plenty of money for people to be given service awards. All of these discussions are meant to happen in the Parliamentary Commission. Unfortunately, some of us are kept out of the Commission, which is illegal because I am a member,” he noted.
Expressing his frustration, Mr. Ssenyonyi questioned whether any constitutional amendments or changes to the Administration of Parliament Act and Rules of Procedure had been made to exclude the Leader of Opposition from the Commission. “Are they bothered by the questions that I am asking, so they don’t want me to ask those questions in the Commission meetings?” he wondered.
This publication has obtained copies of a letter Mr. Ssenyonyi sent to the Speaker’s office, dated June 12, 2024, with stamps of receipt from the offices of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and Leader of Government Business. “I am, however, bothered that ever since I became LoP in January 2024, I have not been invited to any [Parliamentary] Commission meeting, yet I understand that the Commission has met a few times quietly in your office,” the letter reads in part.
Mr. Ssenyonyi further highlighted that the clandestine operations of the Parliamentary Commission without the involvement of all its members raise suspicions and need immediate attention. He vowed to persist in his efforts to bring ‘sanity’ to Parliament.
