Parliament to hold regional sittings starting next week despite opposition MPs labeling them a waste of taxpayers’ money

Parliament is set to hold regional sittings despite some opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) rejecting the schedule of parliamentary sessions in various parts of the country.

According to a notice dated August 19 from the Clerk to Parliament, Adolf Mwesigye, to all MPs, parliamentary authorities have announced that they will sit on August 28 at Kaunda Grounds in Gulu.

“There will be buses to transport MPs to Gulu on Monday, August 26, and Tuesday, August 27,” reads the notice in part.

Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi revealed that each sitting is expected to cost around Shs5 billion, which he described as “total wastage.”

“We understand that about Shs5 billion is going to be spent on each of these sittings, not all of them, each of these sittings. The first one being in Gulu, then there will be another in Mbarara, then another in Mbale, and one in one of the Central Uganda districts. This expenditure is difficult for us to explain to the public and the people we represent. It is total wastage,” he said.

Ssenyonyi accused the top leadership of Parliament of misusing taxpayers’ money on a process that lacks logical and financial sense, especially considering the country’s current challenges.

He questioned why the funds weren’t being allocated to Committees for oversight roles, which would allow them to engage with communities and produce reports for Parliament.

However, Parliament refuted the mentioned figures, stating that the funds to be used were already approved in the operational new budget