LoP Mpuuga wants Parliament urgently recalled over fuel crisis

The Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LoP), Mr Mathias Mpuuga has written to the Speaker of Parliament seeking an urgent parliamentary sitting over the current fuel crisis in the country.

Mr Mpuuga’s request carried in a letter dated January 19, 2022 highlights that “several fuel stations across the country have run out of fuel while those with stock are charging exorbitantly.”

“There is a public outcry across the country that demands that peoples’ representatives are recalled from recess to share their constituency experiences, offer leadership, engage government and contribute to solving the crisis,” the letter addressed to Speaker Jacob Oulanyah reads in part.

The Nyendo-Mukungwe MP further warns of a looming country shut-down if urgent interventions are not undertaken to address the current crisis.

Rule 21 of Parliament Rules of Procedure requires a petition signed by at least a third of the legislators to recall members from recess. Precisely, at least 186 of the 559 members of the 11th Parliament would be required to sign a petition for the House to be recalled.

But for Mr Mpuuga, the Speaker can use his powers to recall the House earlier than January 27 which was the communicated date for the House’s resumption of sittings. 

“The Speaker can summon the House tomorrow or even on Saturday. January 27 is next week and that is such a long time. It takes few hours for someone’s business to collapse. The earlier we meet and discuss this, the better,” Mr Mpuuga told journalists Thursday morning.

Mr Mpuuga noted that the crisis is very detrimental to Uganda’s economy that is trying to recover from the ravages of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

“Parliament needs to convene immediately and be briefed on what government is doing and also make an input. Key government players are speaking in tongues and none of them is communicating in a manner that can reassure Ugandans that tomorrow is going to be better,” he said. 

Suggesting urgent attention to the fuel crisis, Mr Mpuuga said he’s “shocked that the entire regime’s network has no imagination on how to deal with this.” 

Looming security crisis  
Several fuel stations across the country have reportedly run out of fuel in a crisis that has since affected many motorists and soared fuel prices by over 25%.  

“This requires urgent attention before it manifests into a huge economic and security crisis,” Mr Mpuuga reasoned.

Speaker’s office reacts

By the press-time, Speaker Jacob Oulanyah was yet to respond on the matter since his office had just received the letter from the Leader of Opposition Mr Mathias Mpuuga.

“During the first sitting that the Rt Hon. Jacob Oulanyah chaired as Speaker of the 11th Parliament, he, among others, set the leadership agenda as a people -centric Parliament focused on national interests and socio-economic transformation of Ugandans. Hiked fuel prices are, therefore, a matter of serious concern to the Rt Hon. Speaker and the entire Parliament across political shades,” Ms Sarah Kagingo, the Principal Press Secretary to office of the Speaker said.

The current fuel crisis was birthed by a truck drivers’-led protest against mandatory Covid-19 testing -at a fee, a policy that has since been lifted by authorities in Kampala.

On Tuesday, State Minister for planning Mr Amos Lugoloobi told Parliament’s finance committee that “government is handling the matter adequately discussed in a Monday Cabinet meeting with a final position to be reached soon.” 

Parliament resumes 

Early this week, the Clerk to Parliament, Mr Adolf Mwesige Kasaija issued a notice of resumption of plenary sittings informing that the House resumes January 27, at 2pm after a sine die adjournment by Speaker Jacob Oulanyah through a December 22, 2021 sitting.