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Why Parliament summoned Janet Museveni
Mukono Municipality Member of Parliament (MP) and minister for Education and Sports and also First Lady, Mrs Janet Museveni (R). PHOTO/COMBO
What you need to know:
- Parliament has now issued Mrs Museveni with an ultimatum of 14 days to respond and heed their summons.
The chairperson of the Government Assurances and Implementation Committee of Parliament, Ms Betty Nambooze, has revealed why they resolved to summon the Minister for Education and Sports and also First Lady, Mrs Janet Museveni.
Ms Nambooze who also doubles as the Mukono Municipality Member of Parliament (MP) indicated that ‘‘the decision came after Mrs Museveni previously declined to heed the call of the same committee two months ago.”
According to Ms Nambooze, the decision was backed by at least 40 legislators that comprise the committee.
Parliament wants the education minister to personally appear before the committee and respond to, among others, concerns about the intervention measures that government has put in place for learners ahead of a planned January 2022 reopening.
“It shall be recalled that as a committee we resolved that she can address us through zoom but as we talk right now, that resolution has not been renewed,” Ms Nambooze said.
She added: “I am yet to know if this time they will also give her that opportunity of addressing us [MPs] via zoom. But it is quite unfortunate that she was not able to fulfil that one yet the September 23 date was her creation.”
The Nambooze-led committee has vowed to use its powers “to ensure that Ms Museveni appears before them to respond to several queries.”
“Prepare and come”
Parliament’s summons come barely a week after several legislators turned down an invitation by the Minister of Education to convene at the Kololo Independence grounds for an interface.
An invitation from the First Lady had been sent through the Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah.
About an hour later after many MPs declinedto attend, the Education Ministry deferred the meeting to an unknown date in a message posted on Twitter.
Parliament has now issued the Mrs Museveni with an ultimatum of 14 days to respond and heed their summons.
“I want to humbly appeal to our First Lady of Uganda and for that matter the mother of this country to cooperate with us so that we are not provoked into summoning her in another form,” Ms Nambooze said.
“So that is why we are giving a lot of time this time. 14 working days for her to prepare [and] come and address this committee,” she explained further.
Asked whether she expects a positive response, Ms Nambooze said: “I don’t want you to ask me the question of whether the minister will come. This is not Betty Nambooze [that is inviting her], this is Parliament.”
