Will the 9th Parliament live up to the billing?

Like the 8th Parliament, the 9th House may not survive the wave of the Executive’s long hand, which makes it pass Bills for the sake of suppressing the opposition. New faces who want an independent House could have their hopes dashed very soon, writes Sunday Monitor’s Sheila Naturinda.

The public optimism is that the 9th Parliament will correct the mistake of the 8th Parliament and deal with the rampant corruption. But with a clear majority of about 57 per cent, the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) will obviously influence decision-making in the House, a situation cynics say is a symbolism of no-change.

A quick look into the numbers shows that the NRM will have 275 members representing 57 per cent of the 357 MPs expected in the 9th Parliament, a clear majority.

Forum for Democratic Change lost nine members, dropping from 39 to 30, Uganda Peoples Congress has 10, Democratic Party nine, JEEMA and Conservative Party have one each, while the House will have about 27 independent members.
But there are strong-minded lawmakers who will be missed in the 9th Parliament and now that they are gone, the young and inexperienced MPs would miss their counsel and the nation at large.

Some analysts argue that the 9th Parliament, almost full of youthful members, will have a daunting tasks ahead of them which include new Bills being proposed to be introduced by the executive.

While addressing the media at his country home in Kiruhura District recently, President Museveni said he would among others introduce a Constitutional amendment through a Bill of Parliament to deny bail to murderers, rioters and any other person who engage in economic sabotage.

The expectations of these young MPs will be immense, just like any new member in challenging place but with the questionable manner in which the NRM caucus subdues independent thinking, some of their dreams may never come true and could be thwarted in the process.

Wants independence
Mr Henry Musaasizi, 29, who beat State Minister for Local Government Ahabwe Pereza to take Rubanda East expects to be part of an independent House. “The Eighth Parliament was almost considered a one-man’s House,” he says, in reference to the long arm of the Executive headed by President Museveni.

He also wants a passionate debate on the Bill still before Parliament of the pensions sector; which will end the National Social Security Fund’s monopoly, ‘The Liberalisation of the Economy Bill 2010.”

There are cantankerous ones like, Mr Ken Lukyamuzi, an old but new member as he calls himself returns to the House to start from where he stopped when the IGG ejected him for failure to declare his wealth. His daughter Susan Lukyamuzi kept his seat for him in the 8th Parliament. He says he is also optimistic to be part of the legislature once again. “I want to be made a shadow minister for environment and I fight to end the rampant degradation,” Mr Lukyamuzi said.
However, the power of appointing shadow cabinet lies in the hands of the Leader of Opposition, in consultation with the party leaders.

Mr Lukyamuzi also wants to fight and see that the mode of UPDF representation in the Parliament changes because they vote as partisan yet they are not supposed to be.

The expectations are very many and their commitment to public good will be tested when Parliament resumes work on Thursday— the day MPs will be electing a new Speaker to steer the 9th Parliament.

Ms Rebecca Kadaga, the deputy speaker, is eyeing the top job currently occupied by Edward Ssekandi whose leadership has been criticized as “dogmatic”.
The likes of the youthful Ssemujju Ibrahim Nganda, a former journalist, have high expectations. He is a new MP on the FDC ticket and hopes to legislate about changes in electoral laws and advance the fight against corruption, a disease of the 8th Parliament.

He also expects that this Parliament becomes more serious and halts this bug in the NRM government of fleecing public resources without any shame.
Mr Vicent Bagiire, another youthful MP, who beat the junior minister in-charge of agriculture docket, Mr Aggrey Bagiire, expects to have a “a more vibrant and dynamic house that reflects the average age of legislators”.

He also says his expectation is to have an assembly which will pass laws that are pro- people and address the much needed social inequality in the country and help in improving service delivery.