Challenges to Legislative Scrutiny of Bills by Committees of the 10th Parliament of Uganda

Abstract

This study investigated the challenges to Legislation and the Scrutiny of Bills by the 10th Parliament of the republic of Uganda. The study specifically examined the influence of absenteeism, Bill backlog and political party influence on the Scrutiny of Bills by the 10th Parliament of Uganda. The study employed a case study survey design and adopted purely qualitative approaches. The study population included the Clerks to Parliament, the Speakers of Parliament, Committee Chairpersons, Committee members, economists and the researchers. The study adopted a qualitative approach by which qualitative data was collected and analyzed. Primary data was collected from respondents by the use of interview guide through face to face interaction and the focus group discussion guides. This helped to collect data on the challenges to Legislation and the Scrutiny of Bills. The qualitative data obtained was analyzed using the thematic data analysis technique. The study revealed that the challenges to Legislation in the form of absenteeism, Bill backlog and political party affiliation significantly influence the scrutiny of Bills in the 10th Parliament of Uganda. The study concluded that absenteeism, Bill backlog and political party affiliation significantly influence the Scrutiny of Bills by the Committees of the 10th Parliament of Uganda. The study recommended that Parliament should make absenteeism very costly to the members in a way that a fine is attached to each day that they miss and their payments are effected depending on their attendance both in plenary and committees. Parliament should install and implementing an electronic Bill tracking system which can definitely help curb the vice of backlog as a Bill will be tracked at all stages throughout the Scrutiny till the time a full report is made and presented for hearing on the floor of Parliament. The distribution of members to Committees should be voluntary and based on their expertise and academic qualifications and not just their association or membership to a particular party in Parliament.