Tayebwa Bans Committee Sittings During Plenary

What the report says

Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa has ordered Uganda’s parliamentary committees to stop meeting during plenary sittings, saying the overlap has been reducing attendance and weakening accountability in the House. According to Nile Post, he issued the directive while chairing Thursday’s plenary session and told MPs and ministers that mornings should be reserved for committees, while afternoons should be dedicated to plenary business.

Tayebwa said ministers must treat afternoon plenary as their main parliamentary duty, especially because it is the forum where government is questioned and public policy is debated. He also instructed the Clerk to Parliament and committee chairpersons to adjust schedules so that committee work does not clash with plenary. Under the new arrangement, any committee that sits while plenary is in progress could have its proceedings nullified.

The move followed complaints from legislators that some ministers were absent from the chamber because they were attending committee meetings scheduled at the same time. MPs said this was leaving questions unanswered and weakening Parliament’s oversight role. Several lawmakers welcomed the directive, saying it could improve discipline, attendance and the handling of government business.

In broader parliamentary practice, separating committee and plenary time is a common way to prevent scheduling conflicts and ensure that both scrutiny work and full-house debate receive attention. Parliament is expected to begin applying the revised timetable next week.