A top official at Parliament of Uganda has castigated government-owned newspaper, The New Vision, for reportedly using a wrong formula to rank best and worst performing MPs of the 11th Parliament.
The rankings, which were based on the Hansard, the official record of parliament for the period from May 24, 2021 to May 11, 2022, measured best and worst female MPs, best and worst MPs overall, and best and worst new MPs.
According to the rankings, Jinja South West MP Dr Timothy Lusala Batuwa (FDC), Kabula County MP Enos Asiimwe (NRM), Nakawa West MP Joel Ssenyonyi Besekeze (NUP), Butambala District Woman Representative Aisha Nalule Kabanda(NUP), Bardege-Layibi MP Martin Mapenduzi (Independent), Kumi County MP Sindronius Okaasai Opolot (NRM), Sheema Municipality MP’s Dicksons Kateshumbwa (NRM), Butembe MP David Livingstone Zijjan, Kimaanya-Kabonera MP Dr Abed Bwanika (NUP), and Nakawa East MP Ronald Nsubuga Balimwezo (NUP) are the best performing new MPs.
A total of 38 MPs were ranked the worst because they did not utter any word in the one year they have been in parliament. The worst new MPs, according to The New Vision report, include: Kazo Woman MP Jenepher Muheesi Abaho, Derrick Kabuura of Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality, Abdul Mutumba of Kiboga West, Jimmy Lwanga of Njeru Municipality, Jinja Woman MP Loy Katali, and Elderly MP (Buganda) Peninah Busingye. A total of 28 also spoke once for the full one year they have been in parliament.
But according to Chris Obore, the Director in charge of Communication and Public Affairs at Parliament of Uganda, The New Vision, whose head is former Museveni press secretary Don Wanyama, used a weak formula to measure the legislators’ performance. Indeed, the newspaper admitted it had not measured other MPs’ activities such as participation in committees.
“Plenary is the main arena for MPs to debate. But assessing their performance on the basis of plenary alone is a weak tool. Only serves as a propaganda instrument. The scope of MPs performance is wider than plenary,” said Obore.
