Justice James Ogola

Judicial service commission budget is halted over absence of a substantive head of the Judicial service commission. The legal and parliamentary affairs committee chaired by Stephen Tashobya declined to scrutinize the proposed budgetary for judicial service commission unless the post of chairman in filed. The move comes at the time when the term for the previous chairman Justice James Ogola had just expired leaving the post vacant.
The committee chairman Steven Tashobya said that they will not commit government money in a commission that cannot execute its obligations legally. While appearing before this committee, the minister for justice and constitutional affairs Kahinda Otafiire said that the search for the chairman is ongoing and the post is likely to be filled in two weeks from now.

Meanwhile that  ministry of public service is still trapped into a funding gap of close to 1.03 billion shillings meant to pay emoluments for former leaders. Some of the former leaders entitled to this money include former presidents, former vice presidents and prime ministers. While appearing before the parliamentary  public service and local government committee, the permanent Secretary Catherine Bitaralwate said that in this 2016/2017 no formal communication has been made to this effect. She explained that the ministry is now yet to face the challenge of these leaders coming for their money yet no single cent has been allocated for this purposes from ministry of finance. Bitaralwate called for the committee to push the ministry to provide them with this money to benefit the intended beneficiaries.

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MPs say that they will have a meeting with the ministry of finance and the prime minister to cause them to release the required funds to conduct the local administrative units which have been halted for almost 10 years. In June last year parliament passed the Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2014 providing for lining up behind candidates during elections of chairpersons for village (LC1) and parish (LC2) levels to reduce on the cost of conducting these elections from 505billion shillings to 35 billion shillings.
The electoral commission is also pleading to members of parliament to prevail to the ministry of finance to provide 77 million shillings for creation of four more districts which were approved by parliament last year to commence in July this year. The Electoral commission headed by Dr. Kiggundu said that there is funds to recruit and paying staff for these new districts.
Districts to start effective 1st July 2016 include Kagadi, Kakumiro, Omoro and Rubanda.

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He said the Committee has extended an invitation to all Political Parties saying it is disappointing that none honoured the call. He said, however, that this will not derail the Committee’s efforts to write its report to the floor of Parliament for consideration.

Tashobya further noted that the Committee has other bills to look at like Presidential Elections, Parliamentary and Electoral Commission Amendments which will give room to organize the forth coming general Elections 2016.

Democratic Party Secretary General Mathias Nsubuga Birekerawo who appeared before the Legal Committee on short notice instead pleaded with the Members who were waiting to receive the Party’s view to allow them present next week given the condition of their Party President Norbert Mao. This request was granted by the Committee Chairperson.

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