Members of Parliament from Northern Uganda have criticized the Leader of Opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi, for announcing a boycott of the upcoming Regional Parliament sittings scheduled to be held in Gulu City. The MPs argue that the Shs20 billion allocated for these sittings is a relatively small amount compared to the Shs72 trillion budget approved for the 2024/25 fiscal year.
During a press briefing at Parliament, the aggrieved lawmakers accused Ssenyonyi of lacking common sense and opposing initiatives without justification. They expressed frustration over his concern regarding the expenditure, emphasizing that the funds are part of the budget allocated to committees for oversight activities.
“When you hear such statements, it is coming from an angle that is biased, malicious, and intended to continue the blackmail that has been painting Parliament in a negative light,” said Ojara Mapenduzi. “We know that there is politics at play. If he has a problem with Masaka, where Mathias Mpuuga comes from, that is their own problem. We are informed that the President will open the session in Gulu, and we know that Ssenyonyi has repeatedly boycotted events attended by the President. If this is his strategy to demobilize, we understand him.”
Mapenduzi added, “I think his intention is to sabotage the regional meeting because he knows that this activity is planned for and budgeted for. The Leader of Opposition has been quiet until now, just because he wants to frustrate it. This is unfortunate, and he needs to reflect deeply. We should not misinform the public for the sake of appearing nice.”
In response to the concerns, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa has called for a meeting of the top leadership of Parliament to address the issues raised by Ssenyonyi. The Leader of Opposition claimed that he has been excluded from crucial Parliament Commission meetings, where key decisions are made, and is only involved last minute to mobilize Opposition members.
“Why should I, as Leader of the Opposition, be asked to rally colleagues for a sitting at the last minute without knowing the details?” Ssenyonyi questioned. “Can this matter be processed by the Business Committee? Can it be discussed by the Parliamentary Commission, which handles financial matters? Why are these issues being dealt with in small groups, excluding some of us as leaders?”
Ssenyonyi has opposed these regional meetings due to their cost, with rumors suggesting that each sitting will cost Shs5 billion, totaling Shs20 billion for the proposed four sittings. He urged Northern Uganda MPs to avoid tribalizing the issue and to focus on using the allocated funds to improve services rather than spending on meetings.
“Those saying this money was budgeted for need to be careful with their excuses,” Ssenyonyi said. “Many things are budgeted for, but are they right? They insisted on giving money to Roko Construction Company, but some of us are saying no, that money should be used to deploy interns. The reasoning of, because things were budgeted for, is not always logical.”
