The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah has called upon Ugandans to take part in this year’s Parliament Week scheduled for next week.
The annual Parliament Week is set to start on Sunday January 13 under the theme; ‘Championing Accountability to Improve Service Delivery’.
Oulanyah said that the public Parliament has had enormous benefits which has helped in policy formulation. The public Parliament which happens at the final day of the Parliament week is basically a Parliamentary plenary session which is constituted by members of the public instead of MPs and is also chaired by a member of the public instead of the Speaker or Deputy Speaker.
Oulanyah revealed that some of the resolutions from the last two sessions of the people Parliament have been included in the current budget framework paper for the financial year 2019/2020.
This year’s public Parliamentary plenary sessions is expected to generate more resolutions which will guide the legislative process, Oulanyah said.
The week shall commence with a fundraising walk aimed at mobilizing funds for the construction of a Rehabilitation Centre for the Albino community in Uganda.
“Members and staff of Parliament are invited to attend the walk that will start at the South Wing Parking Lot at 7am,” Oulanyah said.
On Monday January 14 starting at 7:30am, Parliament will host an Ecumenical Service to officially mark the start of the Parliament Week.
There will as well be departmental exhibitions where each of the departments in the Parliamentary Service will showcase what they do.
During the Week, there will be a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities aiming to raise funds to buy trees. Last year, funds were raised to replant Mt. Moroto forest in Moroto District. A new planting area will be identified this year with guidance from the National Forestry Authority.
During the Week, there will be sessions in which the public will interact with their elected legislators.
On Wednesday January 16, Parliament is to hold a panel discussion with Local Government Leaders from across the country to discuss the challenges to service delivery at the grassroots.
Later on Friday, January 18, selected members of the public will be allowed to hold a debate in the Parliament Chamber.
The public will again have an opportunity to select their ‘Speaker of Parliament’. The topic for debate will be selected to rhyme with the theme of the Parliament week. This activity starts at 8am.