“If at verification they are asking for your appointment letter, they are asking for your academic documents, your national ID, now why do you call a Speaker to help you?” Tayebwa asked.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa has questioned why some Members of Parliament are calling the Speaker and his office to intervene in the ongoing validation and verification of Parliamentary Service staff, saying the exercise is intended to ensure that employees hold the right qualifications for their positions.
Tayebwa said him and Speaker Jacob Oboth Oboth had received calls from some MPs concerning the exercise, which requires staff to present documents, including appointment letters, academic qualifications and national identity cards.
“If at verification they are asking for your appointment letter, they are asking for your academic documents, your national ID, now why do you call a Speaker to help you?” Tayebwa asked.
He said the verification exercise was aimed at ensuring that Parliament has the right people in the right positions.
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The exercise has attracted public attention, prompting Speaker Oboth to reassure Parliamentary Service staff that there was no need for panic, insisting that the process was intended to promote fairness, integrity and professionalism rather than trigger job losses.
In a statement, Oboth said he had sought the assistance of the Head of Public Service to ensure fairness and transparency, arguing that the Parliamentary Service was part of the wider public service.
“There is no panic. There’s bliss!” Oboth said, urging staff to remain calm and continue performing their duties normally.
He said the new parliamentary leadership had no intention of causing employees to lose their jobs, adding that the exercise was a routine administrative process aimed at restoring morale, integrity and order within the institution.
Oboth emphasised that parliament staff holding senior positions should possess the qualifications and experience required for their respective ranks.
“When you are called a senior, you should actually be a senior. When you are a principal, you should actually be a principal,” he said.
He added that employees could rise to director-level positions regardless of when they joined the service, provided they had the requisite qualifications and experience.
The Speaker compared public service to a race in which all employees should start from the same line and compete fairly, saying the validation exercise was intended to guarantee equal treatment and merit-based advancement.
Oboth also cited his own career progression as an example of the importance of merit, saying he had advanced through interviews and competitive selection rather than relying on influential connections.
He urged Parliamentary Service staff to exercise patience and cooperate with the verification process, reiterating that they should continue with their normal duties as the exercise proceeds.
The validation comes amid renewed emphasis by Parliament’s leadership on accountability, professionalism and ensuring that appointments and promotions within the institution are supported by the required qualifications and experience.