Day two of the swearing-in of Members of Parliament saw several former legislators return to the House, with Amelia Kyambadde, former Health Minister Crispus Kiyonga and former State Minister Christopher Kibazanga among those taking the oath.
The returning MPs said their time away had slowed development in their constituencies, citing the lack of a strong voice to lobby government for projects and services.
Kyambadde, now the MP for Mawokota North, was among the first returning legislators to be sworn in on Thursday. She said her absence had created a gap in representation that affected service delivery in the area.
“My time away showed how much a constituency suffers without representation in Parliament,” Kyambadde told journalists.
“Now that I am back, my priority is to bridge that gap and ensure Mawokota North gets its fair share of development.”
Kiyonga and Kibazanga said they had returned because constituents still had confidence in their leadership and wanted them to resume lobbying for their areas.
“The people reached out and asked me to come back because they felt the voice of the constituency had gone silent,” Kibazanga said.
Jacqueline Mbabazi was also sworn in and outlined the role elderly representatives are expected to play in the 12th Parliament.
“Our role is to ensure that the voices of the elderly are heard and that policies reflect their needs,” Mbabazi said.
The legislators sworn in on Thursday included members of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), opposition parties and independents. Many pledged to focus on service delivery, education, healthcare and the fight against corruption in their constituencies.
The swearing-in exercise continues this week as Parliament prepares for the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker ahead of the official opening of the 12th Parliament.
