Opposition wants law on retirement age
Members of Parliament during the special sitting to honour deceased Bank of Uganda Governor Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile on Thursday. PHOTO / DAVID LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- Mr Mathias Mpuuga reasoned that such a provision would enable all former public servants to retire honourably and enjoy the latter years of their lives.
The Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LOP) has proposed that the House enacts a law that stops all persons who have clocked retirement age from holding public office.
Mr Mathias Mpuuga reasoned that such a provision would enable all former public servants to retire honourably and enjoy the latter years of their lives.
The proposal came at the tail-end of Mr Mpuuga’s eulogy of Mr Tumusiime Mutebile, the former governor of Bank of Uganda, who died last Sunday.
Tumusiime-Mutebile lost his battle to diabetes and related complications on January 23 at the Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi.
“Our senior citizens who have served this country with distinguished honour deserve to retire honourably and enjoy many more years of their lives in retirement,” Mr Mpuuga said.
He also proposed that government prepares a befitting retirement package for former public servants in order to encourage them to retire.
Daily Monitor on Friday reported an uproar and clash among MPs over proposals to get a befitting house for the family of the late governor to honour his legacy.
Mr Mpuuga said: “This House owes our senior citizens a law that bars men and women who have reached retirement age from continued stress of public service.”
He also demanded that government pushes for upgrade of the country’s health sector to discourage high profile officials from frequently being flown abroad for treatment.
“The practice of seeking specialised medical care in neighbouring countries is very unfair to millions of our citizens who entrusted us with the privilege of sitting here to fix the broken health system. Out of pocket healthcare spending is a big burden to most of our households who seek specialised treatment,” Mr Mpuuga said.
He revealed that his team intends to push for the reintroduction of the Health Insurance Bill.
“My team intends to take leadership on the Health Insurance Bill which the government has failed to reintroduce to this House,” Mr Mpuuga said.
In the special sitting chaired by Deputy Speaker Anita Among, the MPs lauded Governor Mutebile as a distinguished and incorruptible man.
Dignitaries
In attendance were Uganda’s immediate former vice president Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi, former prime minister Ruhakana Rugunda, his predecessor Amama Mbabazi, and Uganda’s representatives to the East Africa Legislative Assembly. Others included industry players, top executives from government, industrial, and business sectors.
Prior to the sitting convened at 10 am, dignitaries and state officials signed the condolence book. During the session, a number of MPs proposed that a special package be given to the deceased’s family.
Unlike other similar sessions, yesterday’s session was conducted without the body of the former governor.
The economist’s body will today be airlifted to Kabale Municipality and laid to rest tomorrow.
