By Bill Dan Arnold Borodi
The Minister of Internal Affairs in the Guild Government, Dorah Amanda has been tasked to provide complete accountability for the recently concluded Guild Bazaar.
This was during the sitting the Parliament held on the evening of May 21st where Amanda failed to present the report.
The sitting, which was intended to receive a formal report on the bazaar’s expenditure and implementation, instead descended into procedural disputes after Amanda stated she had not been properly informed of the meeting in time to prepare comprehensive documentation.
“I was ambushed. If I was given time and not ambushed, I would provide a report,” Amanda told Parliament, insisting that she only became aware of the sitting through informal communication channels, including a group message on a “launchpad” platform.
She further argued that although a letter had been issued by the Clerk to Parliament, Janessa Kirabo Namakula, dated May 20, inviting the Ministry of Internal Affairs to present accountability on May 21, she had not seen the correspondence in her official email until later.
“Unfortunately I did not check my email for two days,” she said.
Amanda also stated that she had informed her deputy of the scheduled sitting, only to discover that he was also unaware. “I asked my deputy if he knew about the meeting today in Parliament. He told me he didn’t know,” she added.
The Minister further explained that she had submitted a partial report to the Dean of Students Affairs (DOSA) office, but maintained that it was incomplete and therefore not ready for parliamentary presentation. “I informed them that I was going to bring more documents that support the report,” she said.
Her explanation was however questioned by Members of Parliament, who queried the preparedness of the Ministry and the ambiguity surrounding responsibility for the Bazaar’s financial management.
Deputy Speaker Dorothy Ninsiima questioned whether the Bazaar was being managed as a personal activity.
“Amanda, is the Bazaar a private activity that you are supposed to run alone, where is your deputy?” she asked.
At one point, Amanda challenged the procedural framework, questioning the role of the Finance Committee in the matter. “What is the purpose of the Finance Committee under this Parliament?” she asked, before adding, “Let me meet the Finance Committee.”
Her remarks were immediately countered by the Speaker, Derrick Kakooza who cautioned against procedural overreach, and said, “No, you won’t command us.”
Weighing in on the matter, Joseph Kalyango, Member of Parliament representing Residents, said the House must adhere to established accountability procedures. “There is a procedure to be followed for accountability to be made to the House, including but not limited to presenting a report to the Finance Committee,” he said.
“The Minister of Internal Affairs ought to present the same either through committee or in person,” he added, going to on to say that the contradictory statements raised questions about whether the report was ready for scrutiny.
Amanda was then tasked to provide the accountability report today, May 22nd.
Outside the heated plenary exchange, an administrative assistant in the Office of the DOSA, Tom Kiplagat Toboswa, said that the Minister had indeed filed some money from the Bazaar.
“I didn’t want to interfere with their internal matters, but she presented 3 million shillings, the highest any government has brought,” he said.
In the same sitting, the embattled Electoral Commission Chairperson Keith Basemererwa was vetted in, and the Prime Minister Brenda Phionah Namugaya also tabled a status on the government activities to the house.
