Kampala — OPPOSITION parties have accused Speaker Edward Ssekandi of treating Parliament as an institution of the National Resistance Movement party.

This was during a meeting yesterday chaired by Conservative Party president Ken Lukyamuzi.

Over 30 opposition members are meeting in Munyonyo, Kampala to discuss ways of strengthening multiparty democracy and having electoral reforms.

Citing the Speaker's recent ruling on the purchase of land in Temangalo by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), Hussein Kyanjo (JEEMA) proposed that in order to have an independent Speaker, Ssekandi should surrender his party card as is the case in other democratic countries.

The Speaker had earlier urged the participants to discuss openly and objectively.

"This is our country and the realities influencing the speed of transformation to a fully developed democracy must be considered before we apportion blame. Solutions lie amongst us and not from anywhere else," he said.

Forum for Democratic Change spokesperson Wafula Ogutu said: "I am surprised that the Speaker is saying Uganda is our country, given his recent conduct in Parliament. But if he has changed, it is good for our country."

He added: "The Temangalo issue has showed us that the democracy we are dealing with is not what we are talking about. The minority report written by the chair (Stephen Tashobya) on NSSF deal was taken as supreme. The President ruled and you (MPs) all jumped around.

What democracy is that?" he asked. Ssekandi replied: "I am dismayed by some people who fail to say what they are supposed to but prefer to say what will earn them applause. Does it need intelligence to know that Parliament doesn't enforce laws?"

The Speaker said his ruling on the NSSF land purchase was based on the advice of the Attorney General that the parliamentary committee that probed the deal had no mandate to enforce the leadership code.

Lukyamuzi criticised the Speaker for not allowing the chairman of the majority report, Johnson Malinga, to react to the minority report after it was presented to the House.

On funding of political parties, Progressive People's Party president Bidandi Ssali denied saying parties had agreed that their funding should be based on their numerical strength in Parliament.