Chris Obore, the director of communication and public affairs at Parliament, addressed Leader of the Opposition (LOP) Joel Ssenyonyi’s call for accountability amidst corruption allegations and abuse of office accusations.
Obore emphasized that Parliament’s accountability to the public is based on verified and substantiated facts, not on unverified rumors. He stated, “Parliament accounts to the public through proven and verified facts. Parliament does not account for rumours; it is the peddlers of rumours to account for their rumours.”
Responding to Ssenyonyi’s remarks urging Parliament to address various allegations, including those concerning staff recruitments and financial expenditures, Obore reiterated Parliament’s commitment to transparency. He emphasized that Parliament is accountable to the people of Uganda, particularly regarding the use of public funds.
Regarding recruitment, Obore referenced the Auditor General’s report, indicating vacancies that remain unfilled due to budget constraints. He assured that once budgetary provisions are available, these vacancies will be advertised to the public for transparency.
Obore dismissed recent media reports claiming that Parliament spends 2.6 billion shillings daily, labeling such assertions as inaccurate. He explained that daily expenditures are not feasible given the nature of Parliament’s expenditure items, such as salaries and fuel, which are not incurred on a daily basis. He attributed the circulation of such misinformation to ongoing campaigns aimed at tarnishing Parliament’s image, particularly targeting the Speaker of Parliament.
