MPs claim ignorance of House rules

A significant number of Members of Parliament who have testified in the Committee on Rules, Discipline and Privileges have admitted that the majority of them do not know how to behave in the House despite owning the “Rules of Procedure of Parliament" booklet that spells out parliamentary decorum.

The committee is investigating lawmakers who recently turned rowdy during the Petroleum (Exploration, Development and Production) Bill, 2012 [it has since been passed] which forced Speaker Rebecca Kadaga to suspend the debate.

The witness all MPs and ministers have asked the committee to forgive all implicated legislators to enable them learn from their mistakes.

"Let us give a blanket amnesty to this kind of situation, but we improve in future. Our children looked at us behaving like school kids yet we are adults whom they respect," State Minister minerals, Mr Peter Lokeris said.

Mr Lokeris was among Tuesday’s witnesses. Others were MPs Kabakumba Masiko, Patrick Nakabaale, Cerina Nebanda and James Kakooza. Ms Nebanda, having been captured on the video heckling apologised to the committee and promised never to misbehave.

“People should always attend debates rather than come in to vote. Such scenarios can only be avoided if MPs always participated in debates thereby voting on issues they are conversant with,” she said.

The committee which earmarked 239 witnesses has 10 days from Monday this week to furnish the House with its report.

Mr Kakooza, a senior legislator said rules should be followed to the book. “Maybe we go back for orientation because unless we follow the rules of procedure, we cannot avoid such situations," he said.

He said no MP, according to the rules, is supposed to clap or bang chairs apart from stamping their feet during parliamentary proceedings.

MPs have for a long time been criticised for having a bad reading culture even by their own senior legislators and ministers to the extent that they are accused of speaking and debating without prior research on the topic at hand.

"Sometimes even a person who just entered the house, wants to jump up and debate even before they understand where people have reached with the discussion," Mr Kakooza said.

Among the committee’s terms of reference is to establish whether there was an attempt by MPs to grab the Speakers' Mace. At the sitting yesterday, Mr Lokeris said Kitgum Woman MP Beatrice Anywar couldn't have touched that mace, "because she is a good person, who likes laughing, joking, talking and couldn't have minded the Mace."

Previous media reports indicated that Ms Anywar touched the Speakers Mace, although video footage viewed by the committee do not depict her doing so. When the Sergeant at Arms was appeared before the committee, he said no one tried to grab the Mace.

None of the other witnesses has made mention of her name.

snaturinda@ug.nationmedia.com