Members of Parliament from Northern Uganda have strongly condemned the leader of the opposition Joel Ssenyonyi, for the decision to boycott the forthcoming regional parliamentary sittings. The group, comprising legislators from Acholi, West Nile, Lango, and Karamoja, led by Anthony Akollo, MP for Kilak North, expressed their dissatisfaction with the opposition’s stance.
In a press conference at parliament yesterday Ssenyonyi termed the regional sittings as a “wasteful expenditure” of Shs 20bn. However, the MPs from Northern Uganda have come out to disagree arguing that this move is selfish, undemocratic, and amounts to persecution of the region in terms of development.
The legislators are also frustrated with the Leader of the Opposition’s habit of opposing every parliamentary business tabled on the floor of parliament, citing that this practice falls short of leadership standards.
They urged Ssenyonyi to retract his statement and take advantage of the regional parliamentary sittings to explore the nation’s diversity for political inclusion.
The MPs emphasized that the regional settings provide a vital platform for discussing critical issues affecting their constituents and promoting development in their regions.
The group called on the Leader of the Opposition to reconsider his stance and engage constructively in the parliamentary process.
The MPs also urged the Speaker of Parliament to ensure that the regional sittings proceed as planned, despite the Opposition’s boycott.
