By Teddy Namayanja
Analysts weigh in on opposition’s stand to boycott Parliamentary regional sittings.
Over and over again, the issue of tribalism has, and continues to play center stage in Uganda’s politics; with the recent incident, being criticism from a section of legislators from Northern Uganda, who accused the Leader of Opposition in Parliament Joel Ssenyonyi, of discriminating against them with the decision to boycott Parliamentary Regional Sittings which will start at the end of this month, with the first session being held in Gulu.
On June 16, 2024, Speaker Anita Among announced that Parliament would hold sittings in various regions, starting with Gulu. The inaugural session will be held at Kaunda grounds, from August 29-30, 2024, with President Museveni opening it.
While making the announcement, Among said, “the sittings will bring the parliament closer to the populace.”
Addressing journalists at Parliament earlier this week, Mr. Ssenyonyi said the cost implication of the Shs5Bn expenditure to facilitate these sittings is not justified. “We understand that Shs5Bn is to be spent on each sitting, not just all of them combined.
The first being in Gulu, then Mbarara, Mbale and one in Central Uganda. The cost includes transporting MP’s, staff, and logistics. We question whether this expenditure is justifiable. Parliament could sit in its designated places without incurring these extra costs.” Ssenyonyi, argued.
He added that as opposition, they were not consulted while planning for the sittings.
His decision however, did not sit well with his colleagues from the Northern region, both from the NRM and opposition. They criticized Ssenyonyi’s stand, portraying themselves as victims, accusing the opposition of discriminating against their region.
“The Leader of the Opposition should speak for everyone in this country, including those in Northern Uganda. Can’t we manage the discomfort for three days to bring parliament to the people of Northern Uganda?” Faith Nakut ( DWP, Napak), said.
Samuel Opio, MP Kole North, added that the boycott left him wondering whether Ssenyonyi has become a persecutor of people in Northern Uganda. “It made me wonder whether the words LOP means Leader of Persecution of the people of Nothern Uganda. It made me wonder whether NUP means National Unity Platform or Northern Uganda Persecutor,” Opio said.
In response, Ssenyonyi urged them not to make the issue tribal, insisting that the position taken was based on fiscal responsibity, not tribal bias. He said, the Shs5Bn could be better spent on improving services in the region rather on a meeting.
“The poverty in some of these areas makes it difficult to justify spending Shs5Bn on a meeting. We oppose regional sittings in the North, East, West, and Central regions. We can deliberate on issues affecting Northern Uganda from Kampala.
We spoke to Mr.Timothy Kalyegira, a veteran journalist and political analyst.
“Given the natural of our politics, the issue of tribalism is central. There’s no way, someone from Buganda in Nakawa, like Ssenyonyi is going to front this and it’s going to work. If it had been let’s say former LOP, Ogenga Lattigo, or someone else from Northern Uganda, may be it would work. We all know about the history of Baganda, Achoilis and Langos. The northerners are convinced there’s no way Baganda can support them because they feel like they have never wished them anything good” Timothy said.
He added that, politics is not rational and that there are a lot of emotions involved.
“Politics is not like accounting and mathematics, where you can just count costs and all that. Even if Joel stood on top of the roof, and is saying people it’s about money being wasted and all that, for as long as he’s a muganda, there’s no way his colleagues from the northern region will agree. You can talk of one Uganda, one people; you can talk about patriotism, unity and all these things but a lot of our politics, still has the pain of the war insurgencies in Northern Uganda, the pain of the attack on Mengo, the loss of lives during the Kayunga inccient, the Kasese massacre, and all these things that happened in the past. People have not yet healed from those wounds. People still have that feeling of being attacked,”
Tribalism means a behavior or attitudes that are based on being loyal to a tribe or other social group. It can also be referred to as the possession of a strong cultural ethnic identity that separates a person as a member of one group, from members of another group. It is also the feeling that one’s tribe is superior to some other tribe or all tribes.
Timothy, also thinks that other than the tribal issue, these MP’s are worried more about maintaining the support they have from their people, and as such, taking a way the economic benefits that come with the opportunity of hosting such an important event, would perhaps jeopardize their seats.
“For parliament to move its chambers to the regions is like a mini CHOGM. The presence of over 500 and more MP’s in an area obviously boosts business there. The people in hotels and any other services you can think of will benefit greatly. People’s lives will adjust in terms of income. People are desperate to make money and these MP’s know that for as long as the locals have such a chance, they will forever remain grateful to them. Besides, some of these hotels are owned by the MP’s themselves and other big politicians, so there’s no way they’re going to let this opportunity pass them,” Timothy noted.
This is not the first time opposition is threatening to boycott important events/activities. On 7 June, 2024, they boycotted the state of the Nation address. On 06, June 2011, LOP Nandala Mafabi, led his team and they walked out on President Museveni as he delivered the State of the Nation address.
Timothy referred to this behavior as lack of experience in handling critical matters.
“First of all this shows lack of experience for some of these new people. If I had his number, I would tell him Ssenyonyi just give up on this and go back on the drawing table,” He said.
He advises that moving forward; the oppositions should always consult with people that have experience in our politics, before making all these decisions.
Teddy Namayanja is the senior Political affairs and Parliamentary reporter at SML News UG. She’s also the Manager, Coperate affairs and Communications.
