With Parliament having been expected to resume business this afternoon, the Legislative body had backtracked on its earlier plans to debate on the ongoing doctor’s strike after the plenary sitting was cancelled.
In her November 20, 2017 letter, Jane Kibirige, the Clerk to Parliament announced that the plenary sitting had been pushed to next week, without giving reasons for the postponement.
“Following my communication of 10th November 2017 in regard to the resumption of plenary sittings: this is to inform you that due to unavoidable circumstances, plenary sitting which had been scheduled for Wednesday 22nd November 2017, has been postponed to Tuesday 28th November, 2017 at 2:00pm,” Kibirige’s letter read in part.
Speaker Rebecca Kadaga, her deputy Jacob Oulanyah, Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda, Leader of Opposition Winfred Kiiza, Government Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa and Opposition Chief Whip Ssemujju Nganda were the recipients of the letter.
As had been reported, upon return from the two months recess where MPs have been ‘consulting’ voters on the Age Limit Bill, Parliament was meant to hold a debate on the ongoing doctors’ strike as well as discuss the violence that some MPs faced during the consultation process.
The doctor’s strike that has been ongoing for over a fortnight saw over 1000 doctors lay down tools, vowing not to return to work until their grievances are addressed by Government.
Despite threats from President Yoweri Museveni and Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng to fire the striking doctors, the group remained defiant, refusing to be swayed by the threats and efforts by Government to deploy the UPDF and Police doctors has hit a dead end, as the numbers have turned out to be a drop in the ocean.
However, yesterday there was a ray of hope, as the doctors through their Uganda Medical Association (UMA) Chairman Dr. Ekwaru Obuku, signaled they would consider calling off the strike, following talks with government.
