Summary:
- Speaker Among had directed Clerk to Parliament, Adolf Mwesige, to call off plenary sittings for this week without providing a reason. Plenary was expected to resume next week on Tuesday, 30th July 2024.
KAMPALA: Speaker Anitah Among has rescinded her earlier decision to suspend plenary sittings until next week and has now called MPs for a special sitting tomorrow, 25th July 2024, to pay tribute to former Moroto Municipality MP, Simon Peter Aleper.
Aleper died on 23rd July 2024, following a road crash on Tirinyi Road in Eastern Uganda. He was driving his white Toyota V8 (registration number UAP 787Q) when it collided with another vehicle from Iganga while heading towards Mbale.
Speaker Among had directed Clerk to Parliament, Adolf Mwesige, to call off plenary sittings for this week without providing a reason. Plenary was expected to resume next week on Tuesday, 30th July 2024.
Government Chief Whip, Hamson Obua, revealed that Speaker Among was compelled to call off today’s plenary sitting because the presiding officer for today was holding a “strategic” meeting with President Museveni at the time the sitting was meant to take place. “I know that the Presiding Officer, under the Parliamentary calendar who is supposed to chair the sitting today, is at the moment involved in a strategic meeting with the head of state,” said Obua.
Parliament was expected to hold its plenary sitting on Wednesday afternoon, with the top agenda being the consideration of the Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill 2023, tabled by Honorable Sarah Opendi, Tororo District Woman Representative. She proposed a jail term of 3 years or a fine of Shs 40 million for anyone who sells alcoholic drinks to persons below 18 years. The Ministry of Health has proposed raising the drinking age in Uganda to 21 years.
Prime Minister Robina Nabbanja tabled before the Business Committee of Parliament a list of 66 bills to be considered during the 4th session of the 11th Parliament.
The team agreed to train Committee Chairpersons on avoiding corruption during the execution of their mandate. Among the bills lined up by the Government are the UPDF Amendment Act, National Health Insurance Scheme Bill, Consumer Protection Bill 2023, Scrap Recycling Bill 2024, and Uganda Public Service Funeral Management Bill 2024.
