Social Accountability in 9th Parlaiment of Uganda:Silent MPs exposed

By Isaac Imaka

Posted  Thursday, July 4  2013 at  01:00

In Summary

While their colleagues are contributing to matters of national importance, these MPs prefer to keep numb and rather contribute “only when it is an issue directly affecting their voters”.

The word Parliament comes from a French word ‘parler’, which means to speak. You would, therefore, expect a parliamentarian to be keen to speak.

However, a Daily Monitor study of the Hansard—the official record of Parliament—shows that 34 MPs have spoken less than five times on the floor of the House in the last two years while another 105 have contributed less than 15 times to debates.

The study focused on the first and second sessions of the current 9th Parliament, which ran from May 2011 to May 2013. Parliament resumed last week for the third session, after the President addressed MPs on the State of the Nation.

In a House of 386 legislators, these statistics mean about half of the people’s representatives have contributed less than 15 times on the floor of Parliament—also known as the plenary sessions.

MPs are also assigned to different committees where they are expected to contribute. This study did not take into account legislators’ contributions in committees. A study of the “most silent” MPs indicates that of the 34 who have spoken less than five times, 29 of them belong to the ruling NRM party, three represent the army while two independents, Mr Kaddumukasa Ssozi (Mityana South) and John Muyingo (Bamunanika), complete the list.

No opposition MP featured in this group.
Some of the notable ruling party MPs in this group are Isaac Sejjoba (Bukoto), Proscovia Alengot (Usuk), Peter Mugema (Iganga Municipality), Tony Kipoi (Bubulo), Saleh Kamba (Kibuku) and Yahya Gudoi (Bungokho North).

Ministers too
Despite sitting on the front bench and having opportunity to explain government policies and positions, several ministers also find themselves among the most silent MPs. These include Flavia Nabugere (Environment), Lukia Nakadama (gender), Vincent Nyanzi (VP’s office), Nyira Mijumbi (Agriculture), John Muyingo (Education), Ronald Kibuule (Youth), Henry Kajura (Public Service) and Christine Aporu (Teso Affairs). But Mr Nyanzi, the State Minister in the Office of the Vice President, whom Hansard records show has never spoken in two years, says he can only talk if something about his docket comes up.

“As a minister, I speak whenever I am asked a question. My ministry is the office of the Vice President and there’s no project there to report about. What do you want me to speak in Parliament?” he asked.

Asked why they are not active in plenary, some MPs said they speak most while in committees but others indicated it is not compulsory for them to talk. “It all depends on issues one wants to rise,” said Mr Mugema (Iganga Municipality). “There are cases of one failing to talk on the floor but when he/she actually contributes more in committees like me.”

In justifying his silence, Mr Sejjoba said he only contributes to quality debates and he is not “one of those MPs who just talks for the sake of talking.” But if the Hansard is anything to go by, Mr Ssejjoba is yet to find quality debate to engage him since he has not uttered any word on the floor of the House.

As for the army, of its 10 representatives in Parliament, only Gen Elly Tumwine contributes to debates. The rest have kept true to their unwritten call card: being listening posts.
Renegade General David Sejusa had never spoken a word on the floor of the House, a situation similar to Internal Affairs minister-designate Gen Aronda Nyakairima and his successor as Chief of Defence Forces Gen Katumba Wamala.

Political commentator Nicholas Opiyo says although speaking in Parliament is important, MPs are severely limited on the amount of time they have on the floor. “In a crowded Parliament, if everybody turned up to speak, it would be very difficult to debate,” he said. “But Parliaments have floor leaders who lead debates and the rest of the MPs just endorse. The Speaker always gives floor leaders more time to speak so as to shape debate.”

Mr Opiyo further argues that the return to multiparty politics has killed debates on the floor of the House and has reduced MPs activities to parroting party positions. Members, he says, often keep quiet instead of debating soberly for fear of causing disquiet and apprehension from their superiors.

The House’s 30 usual suspects

In parliamentary language, they are referred to as floor leaders while journalists call them the usual suspects. The Speaker always picks them and allows them an extra minute, probably to shape debate, and on more than one occasion, silent MPs have rubber stamped their stand. They are the most out spoken MPs in the Ninth Parliament floor because they contribute to almost every topical issue in the House for as long as it is in the interest of the general public.

You will hear their voice on issues such as the dirty public toilets in the city, a broken foot bridge in the deepest of villages, teachers’ salaries and the messy health system, to the increasing kleptocracy in the country - all with the same decibels.

Out of a pack of 386 legislators, this group has a membership of only 40 MPs, going by a copy of the Hansard chronicling the contribution of MPs on the floor since the Ninth Parliament started in May 2011.

Their continued outspokenness has helped portray the Ninth Parliament as a vocal and stinging House. Because of this, three NRM MPs were thrown out of the ruling party for “indiscipline”. Ms Nankabirwa Ann Maria (Kyankwanzi) was the only woman from the ruling party who was part of the 10 MPs who literally rewrote the Petroleum Bill.

MP'S WHO HAVE SPOKEN LESS THAN FIVE TIMES

iimaka@ug.nationmedia.com

Accessed on Friday 5th July from:http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Silent-MPs-exposed/-/688334/1903726/-/item/0/-/cy47iy/-/index.html