The Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, has refuted claims made by Speaker Anita Among, who said that MPs who boycotted the regional parliamentary sittings in Gulu City are selfish and disrespectful to the people of Northern Uganda.

The Parliament of Uganda is set to hold four regional sittings, with the first one starting on August 28, 2024, at Kaunda grounds in Gulu, and they are to hold other sittings in Mbarara, Mbale, and Masaka. Each sitting is to cost over UGX 5 billion, and many people have criticized the relevance of these regional sittings as they seem not to have a direct impact on the constituents. 

Like the usual benchmarking trips abroad that turn into merry-making festivities without any substance, the regional parliamentary sittings are just extravagant feel-good parties for these MPs and their girlfriends or boyfriends as they waste taxpayers’ money—a Marie Antoinette financial virus consuming taxpayers’ money.