Minister Otafiire skips House as MPs demand for answers on LC elections

PARLIAMENT. The Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister on Tuesday skipped Parliament without notice forcing the House to abort a scheduled debate on the election of LC 1 chairpersons.
Minister Kahinda Otafiire had been scheduled to present regulations for the elections expected for January next year just after the Speaker’s communication but he was nowhere to be seen when the item was called. Even Deputy Prime Minister Moses Ali, the head prefect of the ministers in the House, didn’t know why he was not present.

“I cannot know what I do not know. I don’t know what has suddenly happened to the minister because we expected him to be here that is why the item was put on the order paper,” Gen Ali said.
The question on the election of local council leaders has been ongoing for a long time, the last election having been carried out 15 years ago. Those LC councils have, albeit illegally, continued to adjudicate cases and superintend over sale of land among other things.

The move to have the elections has always stalled because of what government earlier considered to be a huge budget of Shs13 billion and that the mandate of the now outgone Electoral Commission commissioners had expired.
“Ministry of Finance has since said the money will be provided and now Parliament has already vetted the new members for the electoral commission. We agreed to change the modalities to lining up.
“If the minister has any amendments, they should bring them and we handle them as a committee. Speaker you should direct the prime minister to direct the minister to bring a Bill for the amendment,” said Mr Raphael Magyezi, the chairperson of Parliament Local Government committee.

Mbale Municipality MP Wamai Wamanga registered his disappointment too. “The President appointed 87 ministers to deliver this country to the middle income status. There are three ministers in each ministry. But every time an issue comes up in this house there is no minister to respond,” he said.
Local Government minister Jennifer Namuyangu assured the House that government is still committed to holding the elections in January, Mr Otafiire’s absence yesterday notwithstanding.
“We stand by what we said. We shall have elections come January. We have the money for the elections. The Electoral Commission is being handled,” she said, but not without Speaker Kadaga reminding her of how urgent it is.
“This issue of LC one is very grave there is no government in those villages. We can’t handle this casually, she said, adding: “Parliament is going on recess. When you bring the regulations you may find that the people are already in Kibuku enjoying meat.”

Ndorwa East MP Wilfred Niwagaba, however, asked the Speaker to compel the Local Government minister to, with urgency, table regulations that will govern the elections.
“I would like you to direct further the Ministry of Local Government in particular to come up with the Bill in particular or regulations for the elections for us to be able to prepare our people for elections, otherwise we might continue to remain in the hullabaloo when people are not interested,” he said.

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