Kadaga, Lyomoki clash over delayed passing of NSSF Bill
The Speaker of Parliament, Ms Rebecca Kadaga and The MP representing workers, Dr Sam Lyomoki. PHOTOS | DAVID LUBOWA & ALEX ESAGALA
What you need to know:
- The Speaker was then prompted to adjourn the House prematurely at about 4:50pm with the last sitting expected today at 2:00pm before she sends the MPs to a two week recess until September 8.
The Member of Parliament representing workers, Dr Sam Lyomoki, and Speaker Rebecca Kadaga yesterday clashed over the delayed passing of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Amendment Bill 2019 which prompted the Speaker to adjourn the House unceremoniously.
The NSSF Bill has been on the order paper for more than a month but the absence of the Minister of Finance, Mr Matia Kasaija, and the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Mr Frank Tumwebaze, means its passing will take a little longer.
After the Public Service Minister, Mr Wilson Muruli Mukasa, asked the Speaker to postpone the Bill’s second reading since July 29, Dr Lyomoki took to the floor threatening to camp in the chambers until it is passed.
“If it could be accepted, let us receive the report from the committee (joint Gender and Finance) since the chair (Mr Alex Ndeezi) is ready with it. The other issues of the ministers can be handled when they come,” Dr Lyomoki first requested.
But Ms Kadaga overruled him saying the controversies in the Bill require the presence of the two ministers who are supposed to move the House for the Bill’s second reading and giving a justification on it.
“The Bill has been claimed by the two ministers. Our report is ready but who will respond to the issues? Also the report follows the second reading by the ministers. At the first convenient sitting after the primaries (for the NRM) we must have this Bill and handle it effectively” the Speaker ruled.
Dr Lyomuki then insisted that the report of the joint committee be ready against the orders of the Speaker to the Clerk to call the next item on the order paper.
“I have come to camp here until this Bill is passed because the workers have been waiting for so long,” said Dr Lyomoki.
In reply, Ms Kadaga said: “you go and camp at the Ministry of Finance and then next day you camp at the Ministry of Gender because they are the ones who have the Bill.”
It is at this stage that Dr Lyomoki who has represented the workers since 1996 insisted that he would not yield the floor until the report was presented and discussed.
“I cannot take my seat because I have the right to be listened to. The other time we evoked the rules to pass a motion for the creation of the seats for the MPs for the older persons,” Dr Lyomoki charged.
The Speaker was then prompted to adjourn the House prematurely at about 4:50pm with the last sitting expected today at 2:00pm before she sends the MPs to a two week recess until September 8.
THE BILL
The Bill that, among other proposals, seeks to allow workers, who have reached the age of 45 to access 20 per cent of their savings, has been in Parliament since last year.
A contentious issue in the draft Bill concerns the fund management after both Finance and Gender demanded to do that.
