Oil debate heats up, house adjourned prematurely

Parliament has been adjourned for short while after the MPs failed to agree on the procedure of the debate on the oil bill.

The speaker Rebecca Kadaga has been forced to adjourn the session for 15 minutes after a section of MPs opposed to the re-committal of article 9 of the bill of the oil bill started chanting and shouting, over shadowing the entire debate.

They have also disagreed on the whether or not to vote on the issue, prompting the speaker to halt the process temporarily.

Parliament is today expected to debate and pass the oil bill amid criticism from a section of MPs, the civil society and religious leaders who want the bill amended before it can be passed.

The MPs opposed to the re-committal of article 9 of the bill that gives the minister powers to grant and revoke licenses and negotiating the agreements with the oil companies.

The MPs want those powers to be given to the national petroleum authority instead of the minister whom they say is not a technical person.

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