Ssenyonyi  Applauds Speaker Oboth Oboth  for Improved Decorum,  Demands Government to Reduce Excessive Borrowing.

By Abraham Lincolns | Parliament

The Leader of Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi Bisekezi commended the new parliamentary leadership for what he described as improved decorum and freedom of expression, contrasting it with the previous administration under the stewardship of Annet Anita Among.

While addressing journalists alongside members of his shadow cabinet ahead of the resumption of parliamentary business following a one-month recess, Ssenyonyi revealed that the leadership of Speaker Jacob Oboth-Oboth is far better in terms of freedom of expression with improved decorum and respect for divergent views unlike the leadership of the 11th Parliament.

The statement derives from a notable change in tone after his often-contentious relationship with the leadership of the 11th Parliament, particularly former Speaker Anita Among, whom he repeatedly criticized over the manner in which Parliament was being managed.

In the 11th Parliament, Ssenyonyi’s persistent complaints was his exclusion from meetings of the Parliamentary Commission, despite being a member of the body by virtue of his position as Leader of Opposition. In June 2024, Ssenyonyi called for investigations into the Commission, arguing that its meetings and decisions should be more transparent not forgetting a letter he wrote to Among questioning why he had not been invited to Commission meetings, saying the body had been operating without the involvement of some of its members.

Broader tensions between Ssenyonyi and Among escalated with the Leader of Opposition repeatedly accusing the parliamentary leadership of frustrating Opposition oversight and restricting space for dissenting views. Disagreements were openly displayed out on the floor of Parliament, including during debates on legislation, when Ssenyonyi and Opposition MPs clashed with the Speaker over parliamentary procedure and the handling of government business.

At various points, Opposition MPs staged walkouts and boycotts over what they described as inadequate consultation and the rushed handling of legislation. Ssenyonyi, who described himself as having been in frequent disagreement with Among, said there is now “sanity” in Parliament under the new leadership.

“I take this opportunity to thank the new Parliamentary leadership, where there are decorum and respect for each other, unlike in the previous leadership where ministers were being ordered on the floor of Parliament to shut up and members of Parliament ordered to sit down,” Ssenyonyi said.

He said such incidents were now a thing of the past, urging MPs to maintain mutual respect and focus on protecting taxpayers’ interests. Ssenyonyi and members of the shadow cabinet, however, said that despite what they described as positive developments under the new parliamentary leadership, Parliament should continue to fight for the interests of taxpayers and reduce excessive borrowing, which they said was draining the economy.

The Leader of Opposition also called for the new leadership to preserve the space for MPs to question government decisions and hold public institutions accountable, saying parliamentary oversight should remain central to the work of the House.