Parliament Week to bring institution closer to public

The institution of Parliament will be made easily accessible to members of the public, to get more experience and learn about the workings in the legislature, Speaker Rebecca Kadaga has said.
Kadaga said that one of the major highlights of the 2020 Parliament Week will be the Public Parliament where members of the public will get the opportunity to wear the shoes of their Parliamentary representatives.
"We are giving the public an opportunity to meet and to engage with their Members of Parliament, the public will also participate in a plenary sitting where they will discuss issues of concern, which we as legislators will take on for further discussion," Kadaga said.
She made the remarks while addressing the media on the event that will run from 20 to 25 January, 2020.
The Speaker added that the event would change the perspectives that many Ugandans have about the institution of Parliament which would thus increase engagement on many fronts.
"When many people walk by Parliament and look at the buildings, they imagine that the place is hard to access but I believe there has lately been increased ease of access to Parliament," said Kadaga.

The Speaker said that the activities including the charity walk and the ecumenical prayer service will be used to raise funds to facilitate the improvement of the livelihoods of Persons with Albinism in Uganda.
"The charity walk will raise funds for the construction of an albino centre, so that this special group receives better care. We have also been on a tree planting drive and will continue with it, as we green Uganda," added the Speaker.
Parliament of Uganda will also commemorate 130 years of the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU), which will be graced by the IPU President, Gabriela Cuevas Barron.
In the course of the Parliament Week, all departments of Parliament will display content relating to their workings, for the information of the public.