The vetting of presidential appointees by the parliamentary appointments’ committee could be opened to the public if proposed amendments to the rules of procedure are approved by parliament.
This is contained in a report written by the parliamentary rules and privileges committee, which largely superintends disciplinary issues among MPs.
In its report, the committee proposes that the proceedings of the appointments committee chaired by the speaker should be open to the public, who have and can provide useful information about the nominees.
Committee chairman Clement Ongalo Obote (Kalaki) said a public hearing would ensure transparency and bolster public confidence.
“For transparency, it is proper to have the committee meeting open to the public like in other committees to avoid speculation on what transpires in these meetings,” the report partly reads.
Ongalo said the names of presidential nominees would be published in a newspaper with the widest coverage.
“Since the proceedings are going to be open, this will be a notice to the public,” the report says.
Opening up the appointments committee proceedings has been a strong wish of Speaker Rebecca Kadaga for years. In her justification, Kadaga bemoans the suspicion with which the public views the committee. She wants the process open like it is in neighboring Kenya.
INDEPENDENT MPS
The report also proposes a change in the constitution of the parliamentary commission, the House administrative body, to include a representative of independent MPs.
Currently, the commission is composed of the speaker, deputy speaker, leader of government business and leader of opposition. The commission also has four MPs including Peter Ogwang (Usuk), Arinaitwe Rwakajara (Workers), Robinah Nabbanja (Kagadi) and Cecilia Ogwal (Dokolo).
The commission appoints and exercises disciplinary control over persons holding public office in parliament; reviews the terms and conditions of service, standing orders, training and qualifications of persons holding office in parliament and also makes recommendations to parliament, or with the approval of parliament, to determine the allowances payable and privileges available to the speaker and MPs.
According to the report, the independents should be represented on the commission, which makes key decisions for the institution.
“The Administration of Parliament Act should be amended to provide for the election of members of the commission including Independent MPs,” the report reads.
Ayivu MP Bernard Atiku an independent, said with their numbers standing at over 60, they are more than the 36 opposition members in parliament. In his view, the commission is a key decision-making organ of parliament, which must be scrutinized by all parties including independents.
ACCOUNTABILITY COMMITTEES
There are four accountability committees in parliament, namely Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (Cosase), Local Government Accounts Committee and Government Assurances Committee.
The report recommends that the rules are amended to rename PAC as CG (Central Government); Local Government Accounts Committee as LG (Local Government) and Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises as COSASE (Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises).
“The restriction of the name Public Accounts Committee to one committee is misleading the public thereby causing a communication problem, yet they all deal with public accounts. Changing their names would remove speculation and be more mandate specific,” the report suggests.
SINGING NATIONAL ANTHEM
Under Rule 24, the committee wants the national anthem sang at the beginning of every plenary sitting, on grounds that it is a Commonwealth practice. The national anthem is usually played during the state-of-the-nation address, budget reading and when Parliament is paying respect to fallen legislators.
“On April 12, 2012, while paying tribute to Prof George Wilberforce Kakoma, parliament agreed to sing the national anthem at all important functions. A parliamentary sitting is one such important national function,” the MPs recommend.
OATH OF SECRECY
While representatives of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) are entitled to assistants, the report notes that those handlers are exposed to a lot of information at parliament and hence they need to take an oath of secrecy. The assistants are paid by parliament.
ELECTRONIC VOTING
In 2015, parliament announced that it would introduce the electronic voting system to ease in-house voting on pertinent issues, as well as check attendance of MPs. Its installation was budgeted for under a Shs 18 billion kitty to install a state-of-the-art security system in the House.
In its raft of amendments, the rules committee wants electronic voting to be introduced in the new Rules of Procedure since the process was kick-started by the 9th Parliament.
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