By Amos Ssemuwemba
Erute South MP Jonathan Odur has called on Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa to vacate a previous ruling that blocked the debate on the censure motion against four parliamentary commissioners. Odur criticized the technical staff responsible for providing the opinion that led to the ruling, describing them as “lazy, incompetent, and saboteurs.”
Odur raised his concerns on a point of privilege during a parliamentary session, rejecting the assertion that the censure motion could not be debated due to the legal principle of res judicata. This doctrine prevents matters that have been previously adjudicated from being re-examined, but Odur argued that it does not apply to parliamentary proceedings.
However, Deputy Speaker Tayebwa stood by the earlier decision, stating that the ruling made by the Speaker would not be overturned. He reminded Odur and other MPs that if they were dissatisfied with the ruling, the parliamentary Rules of Procedure outline the appropriate process for challenging such decisions.
“The Speaker made a ruling and this ruling won’t be vacated,” Tayebwa stated. “If you are dissatisfied with the ruling of the presiding officer, the Rules of Procedure are very clear on the procedure to do that. As leaders of this House, anything which we believe contravenes the law and will condemn this House to costs is an issue we will not get involved in. That matter is closed.”
The censure motion debate remains off the table, with the Deputy Speaker signaling that any further attempts to revisit the matter will need to follow the proper procedures.