Once passed, the law will provide for guidelines and procedures for the development of PPP projects. It also seeks to provide for methods of procurement and the engagement of the private party partners in PPPs and to provide for roles and responsibilities of government bodies, project officers and the private party during the development and implementation of the PPP projects.
Cabinet has been given the mandate to oversee the approval of all contracts and agreements under Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) without the scrutiny of Parliament.
This is after Parliament approved a report of the House committee on the Public-Private Partnership Bill 2014, bowing to pressure from President Yoweri Museveni to give exclusive mandate to the Executive to handle the process.
Public Private Partnerships are long-term contractual arrangements between the government and a private sector firm. The private company is responsible for significant aspects of deal.
Clause 26 of the bill, which was a bone of contention, had stated that PPPs should not be signed without the approval of Parliament. In the President\'s view, debating possible public private partnerships in Parliament may deter foreign investments in the country.
Parliament\'s Finance Committee this afternoon submitted its report; making a u-turn and amending Clause 26 to the bill, agreeing with the President\'s position.
It also came on the backdrop of a resolution on Monday evening by the NRM caucus to give Cabinet the prerogative to approve all deals with a private firm without Parliament\'s scrutiny.
Despite protests and a walk out by members of the Opposition that it was illegal to pass the Bill without a quorum, about 250 MPs, the dominantly NRM legislators adopted the report.
Speaker Rebecca Kadaga had earlier carried out a roll call of members, noting that the House needed two thirds to adopt the committee report. A total of 118 endorsed the amendments to the report, while 27 rejected it.
//Cue In: Once it has…
Cue Out:…term expires//
Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga adjourned the House to Wednesday afternoon, when the Bill is expected to be passed.
Once passed, the law will provide for guidelines and procedures for the dealings between public and private firms. It also seeks to provide for methods of procurement and the engagement of the private party partners in the deal and to provide for roles and responsibilities of government bodies, project officers and the private party during the development and implementation of the projects.
Olive Eyotaru
Freelancer
