Paul Mwiru: Oboth-Oboth Faces Huge Task After “Mess” of 11th Parliament 🇺🇬

Added: 2026-05-30

[00:00:00]members of parliament meaning that the members of parliament You see normally parliament quits.

[00:00:07]breaks I say we are going into recess.

[00:00:11]The purpose of recess is that the members of parliament return to their constituencies to interact with their people.

[00:00:21]the voters who are their employer in any case. What I don't know who voted for them.

[00:00:26]So, if we are to mirror the 11th parliament with the 12th parliament. Of course, the 11th parliament has had its challenges which you have all heard.

[00:00:37]I'm not the spokesperson of parliament.

[00:00:40]But, when I was a candidate for speakership at least my campaign was anchored on four pillars.

[00:00:49]The first was the restoration of rule of law in the parliament.

[00:00:55]Because the way we were proceeding, there was purely problem.

[00:00:58]I had people saying that you know that there is no strict separation of powers.

[00:01:03]After all, even when the president when parliament does makes a law, passes a law, it's like being ascended to by the president.

[00:01:12]That would mean that actually it would be parliament to complete the entire business. That there's no harm in the mixture, but there is.

[00:01:22]Because the only way you hold people to account by knowing that there is a watchdog of some sort here.

[00:01:30]Our people, for instance, don't fear the media.

[00:01:33]They fear scrutiny.

[00:01:36]And when I talked about accountability as one of the pillar I was saying that there must be scrutiny of what parliament does.

[00:01:46]That's why I was arguing that it's going to be it was going to become a policy directive that after every quarter parliament must publicize the works they have done within the works they have done within the quarter and the cost to see whether there is value for money in terms of accountability.

[00:02:11]Then, the leaders themselves, we must also account. It's not to that we are the alpha and omega.

[00:02:20]The way things used to to be that Parliament doesn't account to anybody.

[00:02:26]Parliament must account to the public.

[00:02:29]The other pillar was ensuring that the aspirations and the the aspirations of Ugandans would be designed from the workings of Parliament.

[00:02:42]You saw where a bill was rushed as if it would it was about building an hospital. People were dying and there was no any other place to be.

[00:02:53]The way bills are initiated, all laws are to deal with a certain mischief in society.

[00:03:01]Bills are initiated in cabinet by cabinet memorandum, which clearly details what the problem is, the official view they have done, and why that a particular law action is required.

[00:03:14]But some of those issues, the way they were rushing bills, left a lot to be desired.

[00:03:20]And God does things his way, exposed them on the so event bill.

[00:03:26]Because they had to to change almost 90% of the bill.

[00:03:31]Then the question would be, what happened to the other 140 bills? 140 bills which which were rushed in the in the similar way.

[00:03:39]In the 9th and 10th Parliament, when a bill was laid in Parliament, it would be referred to the relevant committee, and the speaker, some controversial bills would normally create time leave for members of Parliament to go and consult their Not in a very It's the way that people are just rushing to pass the bills.

[00:04:00]So, that has been one pillar which I thought needs to be restored. People must see themselves in the workings of parliament or the parliament is for the people.

[00:04:11]Parliament isn't for members of parliament. They're also people, but they're there to deal with the aspirations of the public.

[00:04:17]That's why we need to account.

[00:04:22]The other one was equity and inclusivity.

[00:04:27]I've been given to understand that cartels had been created and cliques in parliament.

[00:04:34]And uh I'm glad the Deputy Speaker when he was speaking to the members during the orientation, he had to come out clear on that matter.

[00:04:47]Because there are some MPs of my caliber who will never go to Speaker's office to to beg for trip or to beg for favor.

[00:04:56]Because I believe it will compromise my oath and in effect compromising my work.

[00:05:03]So, that's why we are saying there must be an equitable way of doing things in the parliament so that the the people don't shift their allegiance from the voters now to the Speaker.

[00:05:14]Because you are looking for per diem.

[00:05:19]You understand?

[00:05:21]That is uh when we talk about uh equity and inclusivity.

[00:05:28]Of course, when we talked about restoration of the rule of law, many things There there was no budget discipline.

[00:05:35]That all the votes You see, parliament also it has vote orders. It is Parliament is a vote, but there are departments where when you are raising a budget, it rises from departments. Work plans are generated from the department. So, when the money would come, it would be raided and there would be no and everybody would fear to talk.

[00:05:58]Because you never know if you complain, you may not get a trip.

[00:06:02]So, I'm saying that now we we we can do better.

[00:06:07]We can do better. I'm impressed with the 12th Parliament.

[00:06:10]I've seen some seasoned members of Parliament who are there, but also the way we start is also very important.

[00:06:19]That's why my candidature was in two-fold for speakership.

[00:06:23]To present opposition alternative vision for Parliament.

[00:06:28]And I'm glad the speaker who won, Honorable Jacob Oulanyah, both Honorable Speaker, actually if you look at these seven points now, the four points I raised form part of these seven.

[00:06:41]But if we do not run, who knows, maybe they would have not even considered dealing with those matters.

[00:06:49]Then lastly, is holding the executive and the judiciary to account.

[00:06:58]Because there was a merger and I challenge Uganda Law Society, the election petitions were filed.

[00:07:07]They must be handled expeditiously.

[00:07:10]But because Parliament would not talk, because there was almost like a a merger of the legislature and the and the judiciary, they buried the petitions up to now.

[00:07:24]Nothing has been done on those petitions. They're hiding that there was no special money to deal with the election petitions because specialized in legislation.

[00:07:34]At the end of the day, people are not supposed to be in Parliament are going to be in Parliament for this period.

[00:07:40]They're going to borrow as if there's no tomorrow.

[00:07:45]They're going to get money grant for the car.

[00:07:47]By the time they are removed from parliament, they will have caused financial loss to the public.

[00:07:54]So, I will implore Ugandan society to write to the Chief Justice. The law says the petition must be disposed of in a certain period of time.

[00:08:02]They used to be handled expeditiously until this notion of people wanting to get allowance from election petition.

[00:08:08]That they do it a special session.

[00:08:11]Why should handling election petition become a special matter?

[00:08:16]Because this petition would have been disposed of by the resident judges even as of now.

[00:08:20]What is so special with handling election petition?

[00:08:25]So, that means that the the part which would be supervising people would be raising those issues now in the parliament will be parliament.

[00:08:34]That's if the speaker allowed the same to be raised.

[00:08:37]But since we exist in our own right, and we are not looking for favors, now there is a platform to raise those matters.

[00:08:46]Then is the appointment like the appointment committees in the parliament, where parliament must uh do its do its work.

[00:08:57]Vet people appointed to public office.

[00:09:02]The way it was being done before it was that whoever would come would pass, and people would rush for favors from those people.

[00:09:09]Because once Kanzuhire appears before you when she's coming for approval as a judge, you don't maybe uh let me pass her, maybe when I have a case I'll go to her.

[00:09:20]That must stop.

[00:09:23]You approve a monster in a public office, he or she will descend on the public.

[00:09:31]You will have failed in your duty.

[00:09:34]So, I want to say that the 12th Parliament is alive to the challenges of the 11th Parliament.

[00:09:46]And we would not wish to inherit the badge of dishonor.

[00:09:50]We want to begin on a fresh page.

[00:09:54]So, having said that, I want to thank you for having listened to me.

[00:09:59]I had a tight schedule, but my brother here, when he extended the invitation, I would not turn it down.

[00:10:07]But I want to for now to allay the fears of everybody. So, we're going to business as usual.

[00:10:13]We have been around.

[00:10:15]We cannot We are not looking for favors from anybody.

[00:10:19]We are We are here to serve our people.

[00:10:22]That was also the fear which other members had in the 11th Parliament. People would fear to raise anything.

[00:10:29]And you I doubt if I saw the deputy speaker.

[00:10:32]Like what I liked about him that was respond the issues we were raising. So, we cannot run Parliament like uh a cartel.

[00:10:41]That himself even feared to come to Parliament someday when he doesn't have money to give them peace.

[00:10:47]Just imagine an institution where the speaker is hiding from his own members because he doesn't happen to give them We told him you don't need to give them MP any money. They are paid.

[00:10:57]You understand? If you are complaining about that being done by voters, displacing MPs in their constituency, then how can you dis- members displace a speaker?

[00:11:07]How will you complain about the Wanjiku when they when they are displacing an MP?

[00:11:14]So, I'm very optimistic that with the leadership we have in the Parliament, we may have disagreements in other issues, but they have given the assurance that they will operate as per the law and the wishes and the aspirations of our will be met. I thank you.

[00:11:36]>> [applause] >> Thank you so much, honorable Paul Muiru, for that very hearty breakdown of your expectations and and outlook of the 11th Parliament. We'll pardon me for the error of you not being in the 11th. So, you are a watcher. You saw everything that happened in the last Parliament. And of course, from what he has just said, I I tie down to an African proverb that says when the rhythm changes, the dance must also change. The honorable is here to tell us that it is a fresh page, and the 12th Parliament is alive to the challenges of the 11th Parliament. He has also helped us as a parliamentarian and also one that was in the ninth and the 10th to give us a few basics. It's also a learning curve, as you're aware.

[00:12:38]This is a very engaging discussion that helps those that are here and listening very attentively to learn. The last week we're here with a Professor Mwambesa who was teaching us about the different categories of corruption, and he has touched some of them. Things like favoritism, like getting per diem for you, which of course compromises your your your commentary as far as representation is concerned. Of course, he has also spoken about the role of Parliament, and it's a very important for us to to allow to be educated because in this building we're here to learn and unlearn. Where you thought you knew better, you are going to be schooled. It's very important for us to appreciate the role of the parliamentarians we sent to parliament because this is an every five year cycle. Public accounts have also been spoken about in which we are supposed to own the responsibility once you have been given public money. But also to the honorable, he has spoken about more than corruption. To him, as he said, mal-administration takes the day for him because therein lies so many vices for which only corruption is one. Okay? So, I think we need to take cognizance of his lecture or insights as far as the 11th parliament challenges and and performance is concerned. Of course, he has also spoken about that fear that can never be spoken about just because the auditor