MP Mapenduzi resigns as PAC-Local Govt chairperson 

Bardege-Layibi Division MP, Martin Ojara Mapenduzi has resigned from his position as the chairperson of the public accounts committee (PAC) -Local Government.

His resignation was communicated by speaker Anita Among during today’s plenary sitting. 

“I got a resignation letter from the chairperson of PAC-Local Government, Hon. Mapenduzi. We acknowledge his resignation and accept it,” said the speaker. 

She however noted that Mapenduzi still has pending committee reports to present and that he should be able to do so since the reports are for the House and not meant to serve his individual interests.

“He should present those reports much as he has resigned and we will let him go to wherever he wants to go. Hon. members, you don’t force somebody to be where he doesn’t want to be, so you let him go,” Among added after the House responded in approval of Mapenduzi’s resignation. 

This follows developments in August last year when the speaker declined the re-designation of Mapenduzi by the opposition, as chairperson of PAC-Local Government.

This was after the leader of opposition, Mathias Mpuuga reshuffled the shadow cabinet including the re-designation of Kilak South MP, Gilbert Olanya to replace Mapenduzi as the next chairperson of PAC- Local Government.

The speaker then explained that the committee under Mapenduzi’s leadership was yet to finalize a crucial report on their findings following the Auditor General’s report for the financial year 2020/2021. She declined the re-designation and directed a formal motion for the re-designation of Mapenduzi which would then be subjected to voting in the House.

However, Mpuuga disputed the speaker’s directive arguing that different political parties through their whips have the discretion to re-designate their members in pursuance of the principles of multi-party dispensation in the country.

Section 196 of the rules of procedure of parliament state that a chairperson or deputy chairperson of a committee may be re-designated at any time of his or her tenure by the relevant whip, with the approval of the House.

Mapenduzi contested under the independent ticket for the Bardege-Layibi Division seat in Gulu city after he denounced the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party. He was appointed to the position by the current main opposition party in parliament – the National Unity Platform (NUP) on May 28, 2021.

However, in February 2022, Mapenduzi locked horns with the leadership of NUP, after he filed a motion to censure Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake from his position as a parliamentary commissioner, for insulting the integrity of the speaker. The censure motion was successful and MP Zaake petitioned the court about the process.