Members of Parliament will now be inducted and trained continuously during their term of office following the inauguration of the Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga Institute of Parliamentary Studies (RAKIPS).
The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga who presided over the swearing-in of the new Board of the institute on 08 February 2021 said lawmakers were previously inducted only after they are sworn-in for their five year-term.
“We should help members to be more efficient through continuous training. In the past, we have done training in the first one month and we have realised that what they learn is not enough and they get challenges,” she said.
Kadaga added that the Institute will also ensure that MPs elected in by-elections are trained and inducted.
“The members who come in after the general elections are totally not inducted so we need facilities that will support them,” said Kadaga adding that, “this Institute will also ensure the capacity of the staff is strengthened and keep them abreast with new technologies and developments”.
Kadaga also said that the Institute will continue training leaders at the Local Government level to enable proper planning.
“The Local Governments do not have a training facility and yet civil service has. So we have been pitching in to train the Local Governments,” she said.
She added that the Institute is timely given the growing number of Local Governments.
“More people have come into governance who have never been in governance. For example, there is a 28 year old who is now the Chairperson of Mpigi district. So we are going to help such leaders a lot,” said Kadaga.
The new board comprises representatives among MPs, Parliament staff, academia and Local Government.
Hon. Cecilia Ogwal who is the Chairperson together with Hon. Alex Byarugaba, Hon. Anna Adeke Ebaju and Hon. Lyandro Komaketch represent MPs. The Clerk to Parliament, Jane Kibirige and the Director of RAKIPS represent Parliament staff. Dr. Stella Kyohairwe is a representative from the academia and Justinian Niwagaba represents the Ministry of Local Government.
Hon. Ogwal called on the Board to ensure provision of quality services to the 11th Parliament and local governments saying that there will be new leaders with various backgrounds.
“How to we deal with incoming Parliament, staff and local governments with diversities in terms of age, qualifications and experience,” she said.
She also urged the Board to develop strategies aimed at sustaining the good image of the Institute, maintaining good leadership and upholding integrity.
“How do we harness strategic innovation and remain relevant in the dynamic business of capacity building,” she said.
The Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga Institute of Parliamentary Studies first started in 2012 as a department in Parliament under the name, Institute of Parliamentary Studies.
In 2020, the Institute was established by an Act of Parliament as a semi-autonomous body with the objective of conducting courses for the exposition and enhancement of the knowledge, skills and experience of members and staff of the Parliamentary Commission and other legislatures, including local government councils.
