Some MPs say that it’s necessary to have more deputy speakers although other say that having more than one deputy speaker is a waste of resources.
This comes after last week’s plenary was pushed to this week to allow the Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga and her deputy, Jacob Oulanyah to attend the Uganda North America Association (UNAA) meeting currently on-going in the United States.

Speaker Rebecca Kadaga

The member of parliament for Pallisa County, Jacob Richards Opolot says that in future parliament has to approve more deputy speakers so that parliament’s work is interrupted.

However,MPs including; Anna Maria Nakabirwa, Kyankwazi district, Peter Sematimba,Busiro South,Bernard Atiku,Yivu  and Paula Turyahikayo Rubabo, argue that although there was confusion for MPs to attend to plenary because of  both speakers being absent, it does not warrant having more deputy speakers because it would be a waste of tax payers money.

In the 9th parliament civil society and some members of parliament had wanted to move a constitutional amendment to have more than one deputy speaker envisaging a situation when both the speaker and her deputy could be unavailable for chairing parliament and that the gap can be filled by  the second deputy speaker  to chair the session.

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Addressing a news conference at Parliament on Monday, the UWOPA executive members along with members from civil society comprising of UWOPA, Action for Women in Development (ACFODE), Centre for Women in Governance (CEWIGO), Women Democracy Network (WDN-U) and Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE).

The members said they plan to ask the Speaker of Parliament,Rebecca Kadaga to schedule the debate on the order paper so that it can be handled once and for all.

Rita Aciro, the UWONET Chairperson, said Parliament needs to urgently pass the sexual offences bill to curb the increasing sexual related cases and also conclude the passing of the remaining 155 clauses of the Marriage and divorce bill.

The Marriage and divorce bill was tabled in the last Parliament by Gen Kahinda Otafiire but was later halted to be passed citing controversies in 155 clauses.

Women rights activists also want the local council authority to be well equipped in dealing with sex related crimes.

Amoding the chairperson of the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association.

The chairperson of the UWOPA who is also Woman MP for Kumi district, Monicah Amoding, said that the court is demanding for marriage and divorce bill to be passed since many cases that fall under this law need to be handled.

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Salongo Nkoyoyo, the security head in Kisenyi a Kampala suburb says that dragging officers and their bosses to court may not be the solution to ending brutality as many members of the public think.

He says the police force instead needs to reactive community meetings in various parts of the city so as to rebuild the lost trust and end the current impasse of the public castigated the police for excessive use of force in dispersing especially opposition crowds.Nkoyoyo said this in an exlusive interview with weinformer.com in Kisenyi.

He said was when dialogue is given chance; there will once again be a peaceful co-existence between the police and the people.

Police officers aboard their patrol can seen lashing sticks at residents standing along Entebbe road.

Recent weeks have seen the public criticise the police force for what they say is a use of brutality to the citizens.

The crisis was mainly caused by an uproar from the public after local television stations broadcast footages of stick- wielding policemen lashing out at members of the opposition who were recently jubilating the release on bail of 4 time presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye.

Besigye had been incarcerated in Luzira maximum prison where he spent close to 2 months after being charged with treason.

The police force reacted by arraigning some of the officers in court and charged with using excessive force on opposition supporters and tarnishing the name of the force.

However, a section of about 20 lawyers have since filled a case against the Inspector General of Police, Gen. Kale Kayihura and other senior officers saying they should appear in court to answer to charges of torture. The case is currently at the chief magistrate’s court in Makindye.

Other sections of Civil Society have also castigated the police including by rights activists, legislators and development partners following the beating up of Besigye’s support something they say was under mining human rights.

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Butaleja woman Member of Parliament Milly Mugenyi has called upon civil society and stakeholders to support bills that back funding for ministries and government departments if vision 2040 is to be realized. MP Mugyenyi  is concerned that most times ministries and departments are not functional because they don’t have enough funds to carry out their activities. She says that some ministries have become dormant because they are in dire need of resources, citing an example the ministry of disaster preparedness’ which she says needs first aide and  funds to deal with disaster problems.

The minister noted that ministries should not be about buildings but functional in order to deliver services to the people.

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Members of parliament and civil society are in procession preparation to jubilate the assent on the Tobacco control bill 2014. This as reports show that the president ascented to the ACT which bans smoking in public and selling one stick of cigarette to smokers.

The shadow Minister for Health Dr. Micheal Lulume Bayiga said that MPs and civil society are going to have peaceful demonstrations cleared by police to show public that there is a law against smoking. He commended the president for assenting on the Tobacco control, noting that this law will reduce on tobacco related illness.

The Member of Parliament for Butambala district Mariam Nalubega  who was instrumental in calling for banning of tobacco from the country said that in future , there should be an amendment on this law to totally ban it because its hazardous to the health.

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Kampala metropolitan commandant, Andrew Felix Kaweesi says that though the group has a genuine cause, it has to seek permission for guidance and protection.

This follows a foiled demonstration by anti corruption activists over recent reports of increasing embezzlement of public funds.

Kaweesi says that police had to block the protests at UMA grounds today because the organizers did not inform police.

Meanwhile Religious leaders have urged donors to explore other avenues for channeling aid other than government institutions.

Addressing journalists today, acting chairperson Inter-Religious Council Sheikh Ali- Mohammed Waiswa said that the cutting of aid will only worsen the condition of the intended beneficiaries in Karamoja and Northern Uganda.

Waiswa proposes that the funds are channeled through religious institutions and civil society organizations which are more accountable.

Norway, Denmark, Ireland and UK have so far cut aid, over concerns of wide spread corruption, especially in the Prime Minister’s office.

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The Parliament of theRepublicofUgandaunder its Parliamentary commission has inaugurated theInstituteofParliamentarystudies.

The function took place in the Parliament conference Hall and it was attended by both current and former MPs, Parliamentary staff, civil society, ambassadors, and human rights networkUganda, the media and members of the academia.

The function was presided over by the speaker ofUgandaparliament, Ms Rebeccah Alitwala Kadaga.

The institute is the brainchild of the parliamentary commission. It will among others offer capacity building of MPs, parliamentary committees, Parliamentary staff, media, civil society organisations and the Local Government councilors.

The institute, according to sources, is partnering with the west minster foundation. Parliamentary sources told us that the institute will train MPs on their legislative duties, oversight functions, and rules of procedure in the house, committee works, effective communication and lobbying development partners. The courses would be for two years.

Ends

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UNDEF Grants: United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF) primary purpose is to strengthen the voice of civil society and ensure the participation of all groups in democratic practices.

The Fund complements current UN efforts to strengthen and expand democracy worldwide and funds projects that enhance democratic dialogue and support for constitutional processes, civil society empowerment, including the empowerment of women, civic education and voter registration, citizen’s access to information, participation rights and the rule of law in support of civil society and transparency and integrity.

The following institutions are eligible for UNDEF grant funding:

• Civil Society Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations, engaged in promoting democracy which are anticipated to receive the bulk of the funding.
• Independent and Constitutional Bodies, including Election Commissions, Ombudsman Institutions, National Human Rights Institutions and other independent governance bodies, for project proposals facilitating the inclusion of the voice of civil society.
• Global and Regional inter-government bodies, organizations and associations other than the United Nations, for project proposals which strengthen the voice of civil society.

In principle, UNDEF grants will be allocated for projects with default duration of two years.

However, it is fully acceptable to UNDEF if a successful applicant completes a project in less than 2 years. Grants will not necessarily match the full amounts applied for.

Grant allocations will in principle not exceed US$500,000 forany given project, and will be of a minimum of US$50,000.

Once the implementation period has elapsed, beneficiaries will be required to revert unspent funding to UNDEF.

While applications from all countries will be considered, strong preference will be given to applicants from countries and regions where the challenges of democracy are more critical, such as countries emerging from conflict, new and restored democracies, the Least Developed Countries (as per the official classification of the UN-OHRLLS), Low Income Countries (“Low Income Economies” as per the World Bank’s official classification based on Gross National Income per capita) and Middle Income Countries (“Lower and Upper Middle-income Economies”, idem).

 Deadline: 31st December.

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Addressing members of the press in fort portal municipality today Byakatonda disclosed that the trade show has so far attracted over 70 cooperate companies.

He says that the Minister of Tourism Trade and Industry Amelia Kyambade is expected to preside at the official opening of the trade show.

Byakatonda said that the trade show aims at providing plat for different companies, NGOS, manufactures, service providers among other to show case the products and services.

Byakatonda who assures all participants of maximum security says that the police and other security agencies have fully camped at sight to maintain law and order.

The IDECOS executive director appeals to all members of the public to be part of the exhibition since it promotes environment and wild life conservation along domestic tourism.

By Rogers Sunday

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