By Our Reporter
Democratic Party’s Richard Lumu, MP for Mityana South, has publicly disagreed with the Leader of the Opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi, over the decision to boycott regional parliamentary sittings.
Lumu asserts that the Opposition Caucus, not the Shadow Cabinet, should be the ultimate authority in making decisions on behalf of the Opposition.
Speaking during a media interview before departing for Gulu, Lumu criticized Ssenyonyi for engaging in what he termed “simple politics” and called for a broader discussion within the Opposition Caucus.
Lumu emphasized the importance of attending the regional sittings, citing the potential for critical decisions to be made in Gulu that could affect his constituents.
“Even if I am the only one, I will raise an alarm, especially on issues like coffee, which are of great importance,” he stated, adding that his voters did not object to his attendance in Gulu.
He also questioned the logic of the boycott, pointing out that the same Opposition MPs who now criticize the expenditure on regional sittings had previously approved the budget for these activities. Lumu argued that returning the UGX 20 billion budgeted for these sittings to the Consolidated Fund would not guarantee it would be used effectively elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Wakayima Musoke of the National Unity Platform defended the boycott, describing the regional sittings as a waste of taxpayers’ money. Musoke also assured that MPs who skip the sittings would have their allowances deducted automatically, dismissing concerns over financial accountability.
The disagreement among Opposition MPs highlights the ongoing debate about the efficacy and financial prudence of holding regional parliamentary sittings.
Ssenyonyi, who has faced accusations of blackmail, reiterated his opposition to the sittings, suggesting that Parliament should instead focus on addressing the long-standing issues affecting Northern Uganda.
He noted that MPs from the region have repeatedly raised concerns about infrastructure and social issues like the Karuma Bridge, Apaa land disputes, and the effects of Nodding syndrome, without much action being taken.
Ssenyonyi argued that relocating Parliament to these regions would not magically resolve these issues and criticized the use of his image to promote the regional sittings without his consent.
Lumu, however, accused Ssenyonyi of imposing the boycott decision unilaterally, without consulting other Opposition MPs. He expressed his frustration at being excluded from the decision-making process, which he believes should involve broader input from all Opposition members.
