Tayebwa Warns Ineffective Parliamentary Committees Over Funding

Tayebwa said committees that receive and utilise parliamentary funds without submitting the required reports would be required to account for their performance or risk losing financial support.

He issued the warning during Tuesday afternoon’s plenary sitting, singling out the Committee on Climate Change, which he said had not presented a single report throughout the 11th Parliament despite receiving funding.

Other committees cited included those on Equal Opportunities, HIV/AIDS and Related Matters, Human Rights, and Science and Technology.

Tayebwa explained that specialised standing committees were established to ensure that key policy areas receive sustained parliamentary attention and that legislators remain informed about developments in their respective sectors.

Under Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, the committees are required to present reports to the House at least twice a year.

He said the requirement was intended to keep Parliament informed about emerging challenges and developments in specialised sectors that might otherwise receive limited attention from committees with broader mandates.

“This is therefore to require committees to conform to the reporting requirements and justify their existence,” Tayebwa said.

He added that Parliament’s leadership would engage political party whips to ensure that legislators appointed to lead committees demonstrate commitment to their responsibilities.

“If your committee is not working, there is no reason for giving you money,” he said.

Tayebwa further warned that committee leaders who consistently failed to present reports while continuing to receive or request funding would face scrutiny.

He said Parliament would also ask party whips to reconsider nominating legislators who had failed to fulfil their committee leadership responsibilities for similar positions in the future.

“We will talk to whips and request that, please, this one is not suitable to be a leader,” he said.

Issa Kigongo