Silas Agon, Member of Parliament for Kumi Municipality, has expressed disappointment with the Parliamentary Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for failing to present the report on the Legal Aid Bill.
During a recent plenary session, Silas sought clarification on the matter but was not given the opportunity to voice his concerns. As the mover of the Bill, he emphasized its importance, noting that it has already been certified by the Ministry of Finance for processing into law.
“This Bill was referred to the Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for processing. While the committee did their work, the Attorney General raised concerns about potential financial implications and its compliance with Article 93 of the Constitution, which prevents members from introducing bills that would compel government spending,” he stated. “In light of these concerns, the Speaker referred the Bill back to the committee for further consideration.”
Silas added that the committee was given 30 days to reprocess and harmonize the Bill, yet it remains unresolved. “To date, the Bill has not seen the light of day, as it is still with the Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs,” he lamented.
“It disturbs me as the mover of the Bill, as I represent millions of Ugandans who urgently need the National Legal Aid Bill. Over 85,000 citizens have petitioned the government for this legislation,” he explained.
Silas raised procedural concerns, noting that Parliament should be addressing the Bill, as the committee has exceeded its processing time by nearly 8 months. “This is unprecedented. According to Article 141 of our Rules of Procedure, if a committee exceeds its allotted time, the House can proceed with the Bill without the committee’s input. I wanted to raise this issue,” he said.
Though he was unable to address it during the session, Silas hopes to have another opportunity to do so. He urged the committee to prioritize the Bill for the benefit of the people, emphasizing the urgent need for legal representation for those who cannot afford it. “Uganda needs this law, and we need it now,” he concluded.
