Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa has urged MPs to prioritise parliamentary oversight and solutions to national problems over political speeches aimed at impressing constituents, warning that Parliament’s effectiveness should be measured by the implementation of its resolutions.
Tayebwa said legislators must move beyond lengthy debates and routine complaints to scrutinise government programmes, establish whether public funds are delivering value and push for corrective action where failures are identified.
“You are a national Member of Parliament. You must go beyond your constituencies,” Tayebwa told legislators, urging them to take greater responsibility for issues affecting the country as a whole.
He was speaking at a parliamentary whips coordination meeting, where he called for improved performance, stronger committee oversight and more disciplined use of parliamentary time.
Tayebwa said Parliament’s primary output should be resolutions that lead to action by government, rather than debates that end without tangible results.
“Our output as Parliament are resolutions that are going to be implemented,” he said.
He urged parliamentary committees to conduct field visits to assess government projects, verify whether allocated funds are being used properly and establish whether citizens are receiving value for money.
Rather than waiting for citizens to travel to Parliament to raise complaints, Tayebwa said MPs should visit affected communities and project sites to gather evidence that can inform their scrutiny of government policies, budgets and performance.
He cited committees responsible for legal affairs and other sectors, saying members should assess the implementation of projects and services instead of relying solely on reports and discussions in Parliament.
Tayebwa also raised concerns about the time spent debating committee reports, saying Parliament sometimes allocates about two hours to reports that could be handled more efficiently.
He said legislators should read reports before attending debates, make substantive contributions and avoid spending parliamentary time on lengthy introductions and issues that could be addressed through other procedures.
The Deputy Speaker said matters of national importance should be reserved for urgent issues requiring immediate government intervention, such as evictions, destruction of property and other emergencies.
He criticised the tendency of some MPs to use these opportunities to raise issues that could be handled through ordinary parliamentary procedures, including questions to ministers and debates on substantive motions.
Tayebwa said MPs should distinguish between seeking publicity and pursuing solutions, arguing that urgent matters should be presented in ways that compel government to take timely action.
“Do you want a solution or you want to be seen?” he asked, recounting a conversation with a legislator over how to raise a constituency concern.
He added that Parliament needed to strengthen the capacity of its members to scrutinise government programmes, assess performance and make evidence-based recommendations.
Tayebwa said parliamentary leaders would engage further on performance and the institution’s legislative agenda to improve the effectiveness of committees and the House.