MPs Reshuffled after Workshop Snub

Speaker Anita Among has ordered the re-designation of MPs of the Public Accounts Committees (COSASE and Central Government) who missed a capacity development workshop that was organized by the Parliamentary Commission on 15th – 17th February 2024, without satisfactory explanation.

In her communication, the Speaker said that out of the expected 90 MPs, only 45 turned up for the training.

“A 50% response rate by Members for such training is very low. In addition, 9 out of 35 staff, invited for the training did not show up. This is unacceptable especially for technocrats assigned to support the Parliamentary Committees,” Among said.

Among said that the quality of output of the legislature is determined by the capacity of each and every Member and staff to efficiently and effectively play their role.

“Failure to attend such tailor-made capacity building programmes therefore erodes the Legislature’s quest for evidence-based legislation and decision making,” she said.

As a deterrent for such behaviour, Among said the MPs who missed the training without satisfactory explanation will be re-designated to other Committees. She also tasked the Clerk to Parliament to initiate appropriate disciplinary proceedings on the errant staff who missed the training without satisfactory explanation.

During the same sitting, party whips re-designated the MPs who snubbed the workshop to other committees. The opposition whip will re-designate the new members next week.