MP moots Bill to downsize Parliament

The Rushenyi County Member of Parliament, Ms Naome Kabasharira, says she is preparing a bill that shall see parliament downsized to have each district represented by only two people, a male, and a female.

Ms Kabasharira who is also a former woman MP Ntungamo District reasons that a huge parliament is expensive to facilitate but also adds no value to service delivery at the lower level.

“It is of no importance to keep a parliament of over 500 representatives. This is about representation, nothing else. I think even the president will understand this because it’s too expensive for him even to facilitate in terms of allowances, salary and others. Two representatives are enough for the district in case of gender balance, a female and a male. I hope the bill will be supported,” Ms Kabasharira told Daily Monitor on Saturday.

Whereas there have been voices against the current number of MPs, there has not been an attempt to tackle it.

Speaking during the district council meeting on Thursday, she said many people were increasingly becoming selfish by demanding for constituencies that add nothing to the development of people other than one individual who goes to the house.

“Some people because they have either been defeated or want offices, have been advocating for the formation of counties, what can a county add, maybe a district which is allocated resources, a county only benefits one person but these are easily created,” she said.

“I have been a representative of a district, a big district and I think I did it effectively, I am now a County MP. Why should we think it is hard for a man, who we think should be a county MP, to represent a district yet a woman can do it. We can have two, then divert the money for the rest to facilitate district activities,” she noted.

Uganda currently has 529 MPs from 135 districts.

Ms Kabasharira who defeated former Deputy Attorney General Mr Mwesigwa Rukutana is currently the vice-chairperson of the presidential affairs committee of parliament. She is serving her fourth term in parliament. She served her first term in the national resistance council as First Ntungamo Woman MP from 1993- 1997 and 1997 to 2001. After 10 years out, she bounced back in 2010 as a woman Mp before being defeated again in 2016. She bounced back as Rushenyi MP in 2021.

Policy analyst Mr Godber Tumushabe says this would be the best ever move from an MP, but wonders if fellow MPs would actually support it.

“I think this is too brave of her, a very great move for this country. I only doubt if her fellow MPs would support it,” he said.

Mr Micheal Timuzigu Kamugisha, the Kajara County MP says Ms Kabasharira is right to bring the bill, especially at this time.

“Everyone is now thinking about going to parliament, I would support this. This is one of the things that can reduce appetite but also reduce spending on parliament,” he said.

Mr Moses Kahima, the former Ruhaama County MP also supports the idea, saying: “I think everyone should be seeing this. Parliament doesn’t need too many representatives to perform, there are other things that require so and that is where priorities should go. This should be received by everyone.”