The Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa presided over the plenary.
In his opening remarks, The Deputy Speaker called on the Minister of Works to investigate the circumstances surrounding road accidents in the country. This followed the fatal bus accident which occurred this morning at around 10.30 am, involving a link bus reg No UBA 003S that was traveling to Kampala from Fort portal at Sebitoli. Over 20 people were reported dead.
The House observed a moment of silence in their honour. In his other communication, he told the House that as Chair, he will start handling only 5 matters of the National Importance to allow for other urgent business on the order paper. He also informed the House that today they commemorated World Malaria Day and that Uganda was committed to eradicating malaria by 2030. He also asked the Minister of Health to present a statement in two weeks on the government’s efforts to eradicate malaria in Uganda.
Commenting on the matter of rampant road accidents in the country, Hon. Solomon Silwany (Bukooli Central MP, NRM) said the Ministry of Works and Transport should deliberately enforce the installation of speed governors in public vehicles. “The speed of these buses is determined by the drivers and if nothing is done, we shall continue seeing these accidents”, he said.
On his part, Hon. Kiwanuka Abdallah (Mukono County North MP, NUP) was concerned about the continued abuse of human rights by the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI). He said they continued to abduct, arrest and torture citizens. A case in point was Isma Semuto who was abducted in broad daylight in Kalagi and up to now is still detained in Kireka on orders of Gen. Birungi. He asked the Minister of Security to prevail over the CMI agents on the matter.
On a related matter, Hon. Sarah Opendi (DWR Tororo, NRM) and Chairperson UWOPA said the House was yet to receive a statement from the Minister of Internal Affairs on the alleged torture, rape, and abduction of a young woman called Alexandreos Marinos, an issue she raised three weeks ago and the Minister was supposed to report, but two weeks later, no report has been presented. She wondered why when it comes to torture or rape of women, it’s not handled as a matter of urgency.
On her part, Hon. Kaala Kevin (Pallisa Woman MP, NRM) raised a matter of national importance over the destruction of infrastructure in Pallisa due to heavy rains. She said major bridges in the area were now impassable and yet they were a link to social services in the district. She asked where Pallisa lies in the development efforts of Uganda because even after raising the matter more than once, nothing had been done. She reiterated that Pallisa had been ignored in all aspects of development in the country.
Raising on another matter of national importance, Hon. Mawanda Micheal (Igara County East MP, NRM) asked the Ministry of Finance (MoFPED) to harmonize with the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives (MTIC) on the implementation of the application of digital stamps on goods because traders for over a year now were facing difficulties selling their products.
Thereafter, the Minister for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs, Hon. Minsa Kabanda presented the Kampala Capital City (Amendment) Bill, 2021 for the first reading. The bill seeks to empower the Minister responsible for the Capital City in consultation with the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Public Service, to determine the remuneration payable to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Council of Kampala Capital City Authority and Speakers and Deputy Speakers of Division Urban Councils.
On a related matter of national concern, Hon. Mukasa Aloysius Rubaga Div. South MP, was concerned about the inadequate sanitation facilities in Kampala City and especially the urban city dwellers. He said Kampala had only 16 public toilets serving over 4.5m people during the daytime. He prayed to the Minister of Kampala to give a comprehensive plan for the government to construct sanitation facilities in Kampala. He also demanded that KCCA undertakes an audit of some of the NGOs purporting to provide sanitation services, yet they were not. The Speaker directed the Minister in charge of KCCA to present a statement in 2 weeks.
Later, Hon. Ruth Lematia (Maracha East MP, NRM) presented a petition on salary enhancement discrepancies for nurses and interns in line with the collective bargaining agreement and presidential directive for the financial year 2022/23 by the Federation of Uganda Nurses and Midwives. The petitioners prayed that the government through the Ministry of Health pays lower cadres (Diploma and Certificates) the emoluments agreed upon in the collective bargaining agreement of 2018.
Plenary was adjourned to Thursday, 05 May 2022 at 2:00 pm.