The Chairperson of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Patrick Nsamba Oshabe, has directed Members of Parliament to stop invoking political or military affiliations during committee proceedings, insisting that parliamentary oversight must be conducted strictly under the authority of Parliament.
Nsamba made the ruling during a tense PAC session on Tuesday as the committee scrutinised officials from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL), the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) and other agencies over queries raised in the Auditor General’s report.
The directive followed repeated references to the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) by Busia Municipality MP Geoffrey Waluswaka.
At the beginning of the meeting, Waluswaka indicated that the committee would examine the appointment of UEDCL’s Managing Director before stating that corruption-related matters would also be addressed.
Later, as legislators questioned inconsistencies in the accounting of billions of shillings collected through the Rural Electrification Levy, Waluswaka remarked that “as a PLU commander” he had taken note of the matter.
The comment prompted an immediate intervention from the committee chair.
Nsamba instructed the legislator to refrain from making such references, warning that parliamentary committees derive their authority solely from Parliament and not from political organisations, pressure groups or civic movements.
“Henceforth, we will not be hearing that PLU thing because, on one hand, you’re using it to threaten the people. We don’t want our witnesses to think they are going to the basement any time,” Nsamba said.
He reminded committee members that they serve in their constitutional capacity as elected representatives and not as officials of any political organisation.
“You’re a Member of Parliament representing the people, and none of you was deployed here on behalf of PLU. The Speaker never deployed you here on behalf of PLU,” he added.
To reinforce his ruling, Nsamba cited members of the committee with military backgrounds, noting that they participate in committee business as Members of Parliament rather than representatives of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
“You see, even the Major General here, I have him as a Member of Parliament. He never comes up to say, ‘I am the UPDF.’ Honourable Waluswaka, that stops today,” the chair ruled.
Waluswaka immediately accepted the directive and withdrew the remarks, telling the committee, “Sorry, Chair, I withdraw.”
The exchange came as PAC examined discrepancies in the accounting of the Rural Electrification Levy.
Legislators questioned conflicting figures presented by the Ministry of Energy and UETCL, expressing concern over unreconciled amounts estimated at between UGX 121 billion and UGX 143 billion. Committee members faulted both the accounting entities and auditors for failing to provide a clear and consistent reconciliation of the funds.
Nsamba’s ruling comes at a time when the Patriotic League of Uganda has assumed a more prominent role in Uganda’s political landscape. While the organisation describes itself as a civic movement promoting patriotism, its growing influence and the participation of several senior government officials in its activities have generated public debate over the separation between political organisations and state institutions.
The PAC chair maintained that parliamentary committees exercise oversight exclusively on behalf of Parliament and must remain free from political, military or civic affiliations that could undermine the independence of committee proceedings or intimidate witnesses appearing before them.
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