Members of the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee in the Uganda Parliament have rejected three bills related to the merger of government agencies, leading to the expulsion of Attorney-General Kiryowa Kiwanuka, Justice Minister Norbert Mao, and Public Service Chief Muruli Mukasa from the committee.
The legislators argued that the bills, including the Constitutional Amendment Bill 2023, the Arbitration and Conciliation Amendment Bill 2024, and the National Tribunal Bill 2023, did not meet the standards outlined in Section 76 of the Public Finance Management Act 2015.
The committee ruled that the certificate of financial implication presented in support of the bills did not meet the required standards, as specified in Section 76 of the Public Finance Management Act 2015. This section mandates that every bill introduced in Parliament should be accompanied by a certificate of financial implications issued by the Minister, providing estimates of revenue and expenditure over a period of at least two years after the bill’s effective date and indicating its impact on the economy.
The rejection compelled the committee to suspend the consideration of all bills related to the rationalization of government agencies until the requirements stated in Section 76 are complied with. The certificate of financial implication is legally expected to mature 60 days from the date of the request.
Attorney-General Kiwanuka expressed a need to consult with the Ministry of Finance on the alleged inefficiency in the certificate of financial implications before returning to the committee. The decision by the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee reflects a commitment to upholding financial standards and regulations in legislative processes related to government agency mergers.
