Parliament Speaker Urges Oversight Committees Against Personal Vendettas

Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Marksons Oboth, has urged Members of Parliament serving on public accounts committees to approach their oversight responsibilities with a focus on restoring public confidence. During a two-day induction in Entebbe, Oboth stressed that the committees’ mandate is to ensure government resources are utilized as Parliament intended, rather than to target individuals or engage in political disputes.

“Your duty is not to hunt individuals nor to settle political scores. Your duty is to restore public confidence that government resources are used for the purposes approved by Parliament,” Oboth stated.

He further elaborated that the success of these committees should be evaluated by the tangible improvements in public service delivery resulting from their work, not merely by the number of reports generated or witnesses called. The Speaker highlighted the importance of fairness, independence, professionalism, and timeliness in their proceedings.

Oboth also cautioned against the detrimental impact of delayed accountability, which he noted often leads to poor service delivery for citizens. He underscored that audit findings must be evidence-based and free from political interference. The Speaker reminded the legislators that when the public entrusts Parliament with oversight, they are placing their faith in the institution to manage resources responsibly.

Public Accounts Committees play a crucial role in Parliament’s oversight function, scrutinizing government expenditure and audit reports to guarantee that public funds are allocated and spent appropriately according to parliamentary approvals.