The parliamentary committee on rules, privileges and discipline is now pushing for tighter regulation of electronic coverage of proceedings of parliament in what will shield the house from the scrutiny of the media and the public.
If approved by the house, more restrictions will be put on live coverage of proceedings of the house and video relay of parliamentary business in what will leave the parliamentary press at the mercy of the house authorities.
As the parliamentary committee on rules, privileges and discipline tabled proposed amendments to the house rules, one part appeared to have escaped without detailed scrutiny
Page 16 and 17 of the report mentions the need to cure the mischief of heightened misinformation and safeguard the privacy of members
The part ends with a call for further regulation of electronic coverage of house proceedings
This means the flow of information to the public will be at the comfort of the legislators, a setback on parliamentary scrutiny.
There are concerns within the media fraternity that once adopted, this will be contrary to several provisions of Access to information act.
But why is a house whose tenure ends on the 12th of may on an aggressive push to amend its ways of operation when the legal set up indicates that each parliament will make its own rules of engagement?
“The rules we have now and the amendments we have effected in those rules are only applicable in as far as this Parliament is concerned and as you know the term of this parliament will expire on the 12th of May as the new parliament is sworn in,” said SB Wilfred Niwagaba the shadow AG.
If MPs pass this amendment the 11th parliament will only have to adopt it for it to become part of the house proceedings.
Niwagaba also says these rules can only be used as reference by the incoming members of Parliament as they execute their first duties in the house.
“Of course it will use the existing rules of procedure as the benchmark for adopting its own rules of procedure. Of course, it will use some of the current rules of procedure to conduct the first business of the house such as the election of the speaker and the deputy speaker. But subsequently, before it goes into serious business, it must adopt its own rules of procedure.”
The house is yet to start debate on a matter likely to shape the extent to which parliament will be subjected to media scrutiny.
