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12th January
FDC PARLIAMENTARY WHIP’S OFFICE
Esteemed members of the fourth estate, I bring you warm greetings from the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Parliamentary Caucus of the 11th Parliament. Good evening to you all.
2023 was a year of numerous Political realities within the FDC, as the Party underwent leadership restructuring as its constitutionally mandated. The FDC Party has gone through changes from grassroots to national level. Most importantly, On 6th October 2023, The FDC apex decision making body, the National Delegates Conference sitting at Patidar – Samaj Sports Grounds in Lugogo Kampala, voted for the new Party National Executive Committee, The same organ unanimously entrusted me with the responsibility as the Party Parliamentary Whip.
On my own behalf and on behalf of the leadership of the FDC Parliamentary Caucus, I thank the Almighty God for the gift of life bestowed upon us as Members of the 11th Parliament and thank Honourable colleagues for the candid support rendered to me ever since I assumed the FDC Whip’s Office.
I give them credit as well for keeping the Party afloat even during the most difficult times when the Party was undergoing internal strife. I’m happy that the Party is now undergoing stability. In a special way, I thank my Party leadership that entrusted me with the new role of leading my colleagues in the August House.
I take cognisant of the fact that MPs have a duty to ensure a healthy and functioning Party since we are representatives of our people.
As soon as FDC Parliamentary Whip’s changes were effected, we held our maiden Caucus meeting on Wednesday 18th October 2023 where we assigned different roles to Caucus members as well as offering new strategic direction to the FDC Parliamentary Group.
We mandated the Hon. Denis Oguzu Lee the Maracha County MP to handle the policy docket and is working on modality to initiate policies that will ensure quality and fine legislation in the House and I want to assure you, the Parliamentary Group that i superintend over as Whip, will be advocating in Parliament on general issues of constitutional reforms, critical matters of national importance and addressing fundamental issues of human rights abuse. We shall be working in concert with our colleagues the Opposition and all stakeholders in Parliament to ensure that these matters will be attended to for the best interests of the people of Uganda.
In accordance with rule 158(1) of the Rules of Procedure of Parliament, which mandates Party Whips to designate members, I executed this constitutional duty by designating the 31 MPs of FDC to the respective 13 Standing Committees of Parliament in consultation with the Chief Opposition Whip the Hon. John Baptist Nambeshe over the FDC quarterly threshold. This was done after several engagements and reach out to fellow Honourable colleagues FDC Members of Parliament. On this matter, I thank them for their cooperation. The House subsequently on Tuesday 9th January 2024 approved this arrangement
We intend to have a Caucus meeting to among others, elect MPs that will represent the FDC Parliamentary Caucus to the FDC National Executive Committee (NEC) and as well as constituting the Caucus leadership. My leadership intends to strengthen the relationship between our Parliamentary Group and the Party leadership at the Headquarters -Najjanankumbi.
The FDC Parliamentary leadership, shall be engaging the media on a monthly basis to update the Country about our activities, programmes in and out of Parliament.
As we head to the Budget cycle, we are concerned that the Parliamentary standing Committees are not given sufficient time to critically scrutinize the proposed sectoral budget. A case in point is the Budget committee which is allocated one day to scrutinize and approve the Budget frame work paper which leave a lot of gaps un attended to. Even the Auditor General’s Report always have a lot of gaps which complicates and prolong the work of the accountability committees which are given little time to dispose of the audit queries raised and present a report to the House in time. This has led Committees to have a lot of backlog. The FDC Parliamentary Group propose that Parliament should always come up with a modality of establishment of Sub Committees to expeditiously dispose of the given workload in time.
On 15th December 2023, the Party held the 17th National Council meeting and resolved on a number of key policy direction.
Among which was the invitation of the expression of interest of all those that intend to contest on the FDC ticket as part of the Party’s preparations for 2026 General election regarding early candidates identification. The process will commence on 12th January – 5th March 2024 at the Party Headquarters. I’m encouraging my fellow Honourable colleagues to heed to this noble and important exercise that is meant to help the Party to sufficiently organize for the coming election unlike before.
The FDC Parliamentary Group congratulate the newly designated Opposition Leadership in Parliament by our colleagues the National Unity Platform (NUP). We intend to work together to push for a joint Opposition Legislative agenda. This can be achieved through mutual respect, recognition, team work and consultation with the different Party leadership in the Opposition in and outside Parliament. We wish the new Opposition leadership led by the Rt.Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi fruitful service
Finally, The FDC Parliamentary Caucus pledge to work with other change seeking forces across the political divide in championing for the people centered change that our beautiful country Uganda is clamouring for.
Wish you a splendid 2024 year of change, progress and unity.
Happy New year
For God and My Country
One Uganda, One People.
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Yusuf Nsibambi- MP
FDC Parliamentary Whip