Yesterday, a section of Opposition Members of Parliament on the Parliamentary Education committee boycotted a meeting with the Minister of Education Janet Museveni.
According to Capital FM, the MPs declined to meet the minister after they were asked not to go in with their phones and also told to send in questions she should be asked prior to the meeting.
While responding to the tweet by Capital FM highlighting why the MPs boycotted the meeting, the National Unity Platform official Twitter page tweeted that the only qualification the First lady has is being a wife to the President.
” The only qualification she holds for the ministerial role is being a wife to Mr. Museveni,” posted the official NUP page
The First Lady reportedly placed a request through committee chairperson, Mr John Twesigye to hold interfaces at either State House, Entebbe, or Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala which the opposition lawmakers led by Shadow Education Minister, Ms Brenda Nabukenya declined.
“You cannot tell us to come to the State House because it is very well known that the kind of business conducted in the State House is partisan,” Ms Nabukenya said.
Ms Nabukenya said the committee chairperson made phone calls to the MPs requesting them to interface with the Education Minister at the State House, Entebbe.
When the legislators rejected the request, the First Lady offered an alternative venue — Kololo Independence Grounds. This also was rejected.
The legislators hold that the invitation to State House is intended to make them cower instead of holding the minister accountable as is expected of an oversight parliamentary committee.
The lawmakers want to question the First Lady about the government’s stance on the reopening of schools.
They are also expected to demand a detailed back-to-school plan after the second wave of Covid-19 saw schools closed in early June.