Speaker Of Parliament Urges MPs to Avoid Political ‘Witch-Hunts’
Speaker Of Parliament Urges MPs to Avoid Political Witch-Hunts
Kampala, Uganda – Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Marksons Oboth Oboth, has urged Members of Parliament serving on accountability committees to conduct oversight without political bias, warning against using parliamentary investigations to target individuals or settle political scores.
Speaking at the close of a two-day induction for MPs serving on Parliament’s Public Accounts Committees in Entebbe, Mr Oboth said the committees’ primary responsibility was to protect public resources and strengthen citizens’ confidence in government institutions.
“Your duty is not to hunt individuals nor to settle political scores,” the Speaker told legislators. “Your duty is to restore public confidence that government resources are used for the purposes approved by Parliament.”
Hon. Oboth said parliamentary oversight should be guided by fairness, independence, professionalism and timeliness, rather than political interests or personal rivalries.
He urged committee members to ensure that their findings are based on evidence and objective analysis, warning that politically motivated investigations could undermine Parliament’s credibility.
“The success of these committees should not be measured by the number of reports produced or witnesses summoned,” he said. “It should be reflected in improved public service delivery and stronger public confidence in the management of government resources.”
Speaker also cautioned against delays in handling audit findings, saying prolonged investigations weaken Parliament’s constitutional oversight role and allow inefficiencies to persist.
He noted that unresolved audit queries often have direct consequences for ordinary Ugandans by affecting the delivery of essential public services.
“When the people of Uganda entrust us with the responsibility to oversee their resources, what exactly are they placing in our hands?” he asked. “They are placing in our hands their trust.”
Oboth said Parliament must hold itself to the same standards of transparency and integrity that it expects from public institutions and accounting officers.
Parliament’s Public Accounts Committees are responsible for examining reports from the Auditor General and scrutinising how government ministries, departments, agencies and local governments spend public funds.
The committees have the power to summon accounting officers and other public officials to explain audit queries, recommend corrective measures and propose sanctions where financial irregularities are identified.
Their work forms a central part of Parliament’s constitutional mandate to ensure that public money is spent lawfully, efficiently and for the purposes approved by legislators.
Speaker’s remarks come as Parliament continues to scrutinise several high-profile audit reports involving government agencies and state institutions.
He encouraged committee members to conduct their work independently, avoid external influence and ensure that all individuals appearing before them are treated fairly and given an opportunity to respond to allegations.
Hon. Oboth said maintaining professionalism and impartiality would strengthen Parliament’s oversight role and reinforce public trust in Uganda’s accountability institutions.
