The Parliament of Uganda is marking 100 years of existence today, eversince 1921 when the House had their inaugural sitting as the Legslative Council (LEGCO).
The first ever Ugandan Parliamentary sitting was conducted on March 21st, 1921 at present day Entebbe High Court building. In the first sitting, the LEGCO had 06 members attending (all Europeans) much as the House composition was initially designed to be 07. The Indians had refused to nominate a representative, and there was no indigenous Ugandan/African representative.
The first ever Parliamentary sitting was constistuted of the Protectorate Governor (acting as President), the Chief Secretary, the Attorney General, the Treasurer and the Principal Medical Officer. There were two other non-nominated officials that included Mr. H.H Hunter (a Lawyer in Kampala) and H.E Lewis the then Manager of the East African Company that had succeeded the Imperial British East African Company (IBEACo.)
The current Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda Rt. Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, in a statement about the land mark, said that a lot has since changed and Ugandans are not spectators anymore. She noted that even the mandate of the House as an arm of government has widened.
Today, we are in vharge of our affairs and are nolonger mere spectators. Unlike in the past, today’s Parliament has a widened mandate which entails Representation, Legislation, Appropriation and Over-Sight.
Kadaga
In celebration of the 100 years, a special session will be held in Parliament that is expected to be followed by a photo exhibition.
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