The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, has commended legislators for their improved performance during the Second Session of the 11th Parliament.
“The Bills passed in the Second Session exceed the 23 Bills passed in the First Session by 15 bills. This is testimony of the efficiency and effectiveness of the 11th Parliament,” said Among.
Among said that MPs in the Second Session, which ran from July 2021 to June 2023, were able to process all Bills introduced by the Executive and another six Bills introduced by Private Members.
She noted some of the critical pieces of legislation which she said addressed existential needs of our society. These include the Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2023; the Markets Act, 2023; the Human Organ Donation and Transplant Act, 2023; the Law Revision [Miscellaneous Amendments] Act, 2022 and the Competition Act, 2023.
She made these remarks as she welcomed the President to officiate at the opening of the Third Session and also deliver the State-of-the-Nation Address at the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, on Wednesday, 07 June 2023.
Speaker Among was, however, concerned that whereas government had committed to introduce 55 Bills in the just concluded session, Parliament received only 17 Bills.
“Your Excellency, in the last State-of-the-Nation Address, you listed 62 items comprising government’s legislative agenda for the Second Session. Of these, 55 were Bills while others were reports. I wish to report that only 17 Bills were actually introduced representing barely 31 per cent,” Among said.
She urged the Leader of Government Business in Parliament to whip Cabinet members so as more business is introduced in the Third Session which commenced with the State-of-the-Nation Address.
The Speaker enlisted other strides registered by Parliament in the previous session to include; 56 reports debated and adopted, 37 resolutions passed, 73 ministerial statements discussed and three petitions concluded.
She hoped that the Third Session would perform better than the Second Session and called on legislators to improve on attendance for plenary sittings and committee meetings.
“As we embark on the Third Session, we are duty bound to effectively serve the electorate that we represent through regular attendance and participation in both the House and committees. We owe it to our electorates, as a people-centred Parliament to play the roles for which we were elected,” Among said.
