Opposition bench accuse Speaker of bias against them

Dodoma. The opposition bench has accused Speaker of Parliament, Mr Job Ndugai of being biased against them in the way his office handled their (the opposition’s) plea to have their alternative budget read in the House.

The alternative budget was to be read in the House today, Monday, June 18, 2018 as a response to the government’s document which was presented in Parliament by the Finance and Planning Minister, Dr Phillip Mpango on Thursday last week.

But that was to be, with Mr Ndugai telling the House that the alternative budget was only presented to the office of the Clerk of the National Assembly earlier today (Monday), just minutes before its actual presentation in the House, contrary to rules governing the conduct of the legislative businesses.

But that did not go down well with the opposition, prompting an immediate reaction from the acting opposition chief whip, Mr Joseph Selasini and Mr David Silinde (Rombo and Momba - Chadema) respectively.

Mr Silinde told journalists here on Monday, June 18, 2018 that it was not true to say the opposition’s statement was submitted late to the office of the Clerk of the National Assembly.

“I am a member of the Parliamentary Budget Committee….The statement, which the chairperson of the committee presented in the House today, was worked on until 10PM yesterday. Ours was presented to the office of the Clerk of the National Assembly at 2PM yesterday but it was not accepted,” he said.

According to Mr Selasini preventing the opposition to air its views on the budget was a deliberate move by the legislative body to avoid alternative voices in the House.

Ends