By Ritah Kemigisa
Members of parliament have declined a request by the minister of Education and Sports Janet Museveni to meet them at Kololo ceremonial grounds as she discusses the reopening of schools.
This is after the Deputy speaker Anita Among informed parliament that the minister had requested to meet the MPs at Kololo which is big enough and allows social distancing as compared to the house chambers.
Among has since directed the MPS to test for COVID-19 on Monday ahead of the meeting on Wednesday.
However, the MPs have demanded that the minister makes her statement on the floor of parliament.
The leader of opposition in parliament Mathias Mpuuga says parliament is the only place they can speak without fear of contradiction.
“Now that the Minister of Education is ready to make that statement on education before the MPs. The only place MPs are best housed to speak without fear of contradiction is Parliament,” said Mpuuga.
Meanwhile, the Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemuju has asked the minister to respect the rules of procedure and speak from parliament.
“We come here every day to transact the business of Uganda, the Prime Minister makes a statement here speaking to Uganda, does she now want to suggest that these meetings of parliament that sit here don’t represent Uganda?” said Ssemuju.
Meanwhile, Mukono municipality MP Betty Nambooze has condemned the minister for continuously giving excusing when asked to present statements.
“The committee has always written to the minister to meet her to talk about pledges under the education ministry but she has instead resorted to excuses making it hard to meet the committee to get answers,” said Nambooze.
