Put national interests before party interests-Rwanda MPs tell their Ugandan counterparts

By -
Rwandan legislators have advised their counterparts in Uganda to put national interests before those of their political parties if they are to stamp out the rampant corruption in the country. 

Addressing a delegation of Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA) and the Forum for Women in Democracy, (FOWODE), at Parliament yesterday, the legislators also suggested that Uganda should adopt a strict doctrine of separation of powers by leaving Parliament to function independent of the executive.

‘’For us here we do not put our parties first before the people’s interests because we are answerable to them. It is Rwanda first before self. If ministers make mistakes, we take immediate collective action and we do not compromise on this. “In whatever we do we make sure there is value for money and when it comes to action, both the ruling party MPs and opposition MPs move in unison,” said the deputy chairperson for the Rwanda Budget and Patrimony committee, Mr Mukama Abbas.

He explained that whereas it is the ministry of Finance which is at the centre of the budgeting process, the legislators ensure there are checks and balances to ensure that the tax payers’ money is put to proper use and not swindled.

He was responding to a question paused by the Ugandan legislator representing the women of Ibanda District, Ms Margaret Kiboijana who demanded to know whether party positions are binding in their Parliament.

The team led by the State Minister for Finance, Fred Omach is in Rwanda to draw lessons on Rwanda’s gender responsive budgeting and equity process and how it has managed to implement a number of reforms aimed at promoting gender equality and transparency and accountability.

Ms Connie Sekamana,a member of the Budget committee said Uganda is under a multi-party system but decisions are taken regardless of one’s party. ‘’What ruling party must deliver to the people? What is in the manifesto is not hearsay and I don’t care whether you are a minister and we come from the same party. I will oppose you if what you are doing is contrary to what you are supposed to do. Value for money is what matters and we cannot just support you for the sake of it,” Ms Sekamana said. “That business of winner takes it all is impossible here in Rwanda. Rwanda comes first regardless of where you come from. Ours is collective responsibility not the party at the fore,” she said.

Another MP on the committee said, Faith Mukakalisa it is the role of Parliament to hold the executive responsible since they are answerable to the people of Rwanda.“Here when you are a minister, you can never be a Member of Parliament and that is why our controls are strong,” Ms Mukakalisa said.

Ms Sekamana said; “We do not accept jeorpadising and compromising policies and powers. You resign immediately as MP if you are appointed a minister because then parliament can independently check on the executive excesses.”

“But government has no will to fight corruption and no wonder they use the NRM party to protect corrupt ministers,” Agago County woman MP, Ms Judith Franca said.

There has been ongoing debate in the country on whether an MP must resign his or her position once appointed minister. Also Members of the NRM Caucus take party positions on issues of national importance before they are brought to parliament for discussion and this has led to the formation of a group of independent minded MPs who usually come out to oppose the infamous party positions taken on the floor of the House.

MPs said they would convince the government to tow the Rwanda line. 


By Mercy Nalugo, Daily monitor
mnalugo@ug.nationmedia.com
http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1285222/-/bg6m8hz/-/index.html

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

When midwives turned to mobile phone light to save mothers

By -
A mother at Lapainat Health Centre III lies on the floor as she waits to be attended to. Midwives now use mobile phone light to help mothers deliver. In Summary Finding options. With most of the health facilities lacking adequate personnel and the required medical equipment, most affected people -- the peasants -- decided to take control of their development affairs. The experience she goes through is beyond her imagination. Just in her early 20s, Vistine Kemigisha is already dealing with situations that even an experienced midwife would not wish to face. “I remember a day when I assisted a woman to deliver in a facility that didn’t have any equipment. Not even light. Yet it was late in the night,” Kemigisha, a young midwife in Kabale District, told the Saturday Monitor. “This woman was brought to the health centre by a group of six young men, who had each carried her in turns on their shoulders.”In her attempt to help th...
Read more

TIMELY CALL TO CHAMPION SPACES, SOLIDARITY AND SOLUTIONS IN THE WOMEN DELIVER 2023 CONFERENCE

By -
Image
 As one of the largest multi-sectoral convening to advance gender equality, convening 6,000 advocates onsite, and over 200,000 advocates online from diverse fields, the Women Deliver 2023 Conference has been co-created by grassroots advocates, youth, civil society, governments, multilateral organizations, and the private sector, including from and representing communities facing systemic discrimination around the world.   Rwanda continues to make great effort in leading gender equality in the world. By 61.3%, it is the country in the world with first female majority in Parliament not forgetting that it has also promoted women’s health, made policies to advance equal pay and established laws criminalizing violence against women among others. This makes Kigali the perfect venue for Women Deliver 2023 because of its strong commitment to gender equality and girls and women’s health, according to Kathleen Sherwin, the outgoing CEO Women Deliver.   Women Deliver is a leading g...
Read more