Ssenyonyi Insists Clerk to Parliament Bears Accountability for Opposition Funds

Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi has stepped forward to defend how funds allocated to his office are managed, stating firmly that the Clerk to Parliament is the designated accounting officer responsible for public money rather than the LoP.

Speaking on the financial administration of the house, Ssenyonyi explained that while his office provides necessary political direction and determines institutional priorities, the Clerk handles actual financial administration, including disbursements and expenditures. He emphasized that the existing legal framework already outlines these responsibilities clearly, noting that the Clerk serves as the primary accounting officer for all of Parliament.

The remarks arrive as Parliament reviews the Administration of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2026. Introduced by Buyaga West MP Denis Namara, the proposed legislation seeks to alter how the Leader of the Opposition is selected and removed while introducing fresh accountability clauses targeting the office’s operations. The Bill has since been forwarded to the Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for detailed examination.

Ssenyonyi questioned the necessity of the new accountability provisions, suggesting they are simply designed to target his office rather than solve any genuine gaps in current financial laws. He pointed out that under the Public Finance Management Act, accounting officers are personally accountable for appropriated funds, meaning the legal structures are already robust enough to handle financial oversight.

Furthermore, the opposition leader drew comparisons with past administrative challenges, raising concerns over previous interferences in parliamentary financial management that had reportedly restricted oversight activities and committee field visits. He maintained that public resources allocated to the opposition are strictly meant to facilitate legislative duties rather than serve as funds personally controlled by political office holders.

Read more details on the Nile Post.