MPs at EALA fight over juicy posts

Kampala

The curious absence of Ugandan lawmakers at yesterday’s sitting of the East African Legislative Assembly forced House Speaker Abdirahin Abdi to prematurely adjourn business due to lack of quorum.

The lack of quorum, Daily Monitor has learnt, followed a decision by the Ugandan Chapter to meet in camera and settle a long standing row over who should sit on influential committees at the regional parliament. Tanzanian MP Janet Marie questioned why their Ugandan counterparts, who are hosting the regional assembly at the national parliamentary precincts in Kampala, had failed to show up.

The query prompted Mr Abdi to momentarily suspend the House for a 20 minute break, and ordered the Clerk’s office to trace the Ugandan contingent. But even after the short recess, little success had been registered in having the Ugandans attend the sitting, leaving Mr Abdi no option but to adjourn the House and mark an embarrassing afternoon for the hosts. Each of the five member states is mandated to have at least four of their nine representatives in attendance for quorum to be raised.

Allowances
But Ugandan lawmakers spent much of the afternoon bickering over who should sit on the influential House Business Committee, which sets the Assembly’s agenda and also performs administrative functions. It is the only committee that draws a sitting allowance.
An insider informed this newspaper that Kenya and Tanzania are also engulfed in a similar row. MPs Dora Byamukama and Mr Wandera Ogalo were maintained amidst complaints of a “lack of transparency” in the decision.

MP Tiperu Nusura told reporters that; “We agreed to select four people to sit on the leadership positions allocated to Uganda and agreed that when they are done serving for two and half years, we front other people,” said Ms Nusura. “Now people are asking for another kisanja [term].”