The Parliamentary Commission, a pivotal body established under Article 87A of the Constitution, has been fully constituted, following the endorsement of the Leader of the Opposition and four backbench Commissioners.
In a significant change in leadership, Joel Ssenyonyi has taken on the role of the Leader of the Opposition, succeeding Mathias Mpuuga. Mpuuga, now serving as a backbench Commissioner representing the Opposition, joins Solomon Silwany, Prossy Akampurira, and Esther Afoyochan, who retain their positions as backbench Commissioners representing the ruling National Resistance Movement Party.
Speaker Anita Among announced these developments during the plenary sitting on Tuesday, January 9, 2024. The official presentation of the office bearers’ names was made by the Government Chief Whip, Hamson Obua, and the Chief Opposition Whip, John Baptist Nambeshe.
The composition of the Parliamentary Commission, the highest decision-making organ of the Legislature, is outlined in Section 2 (2) of the Administration of Parliament Act. It includes the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Leader of Government Business, Leader of the Opposition, the Minister responsible for Finance, and four Commissioners (Backbench Members of Parliament). The Clerk to Parliament serves as the Secretary to the Commission, overseeing functions such as disciplinary control over staff and recommendations on allowances and privileges for parliamentary officials.
Among further disclosed changes, with Abdu Katuntu replacing Eric Musana as a representative of independents at the Pan African Parliament. Elijah Okupa has assumed a position as a member of the board of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).
During the same session, new leadership and membership for various Standing Committees of Parliament were constituted. One notable change was Medard Sseggona taking over from Ssenyonyi as the Chairperson of the Committee on Public Accounts (Commissions, Statutory Authorities, and State Enterprises – COSASE).
