Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba during a sitting on Tuesday 11 June, 2024. (Credit: Joval Tombe/ office of the speaker).

A lawmaker has raised concerns to Speaker Jemma Nunu Kumba regarding the management of a restaurant within the parliament premises

The restaurant, constructed using public funds during the renovation of the August House building, was initially intended to offer subsidized lunches to Members of Parliament (MPs).

Hon John Agany brought up the issue during a Wednesday debate, questioning Speaker Nunu about the management of the restaurant and the utilization of Parliament’s resources, such as electricity and water.

“Are people cooking in that restaurant contracted, and if they are, who benefits from that money? Is it an assembly? Or the person who contracted take the money,” Agany asked the Speaker.

“The whole structure was built with the money of the Assembly or public money from the government,” he added.

“I heard you [speaker] when you opened it, you said we brought somebody to operate here, so that, the food is subsided because the furniture, the building and everything is ours, and bringing someone to cook food for us and sell it in subsidize.”

In response, the Speaker clarified that the restaurant is operated by a private sector entity that has invested its funds into the operation.

She emphasized that Parliament does not provide food for MPs and clarified that the revenue from the restaurant does not go into Parliament’s coffers.

However, she did not disclose the identity of the private sector entity or company managing the restaurant.

“The restaurant is a facility which we have parliament cannot prepare the food. So, it is given out to the private sector to run the restaurant with their own money,” Nunu clarified.

“The restaurant revenue does not come to the parliament, what we are giving is the building, the electricity and sometimes when there’s no water they bring their water that’s what I know,” she said.

“They are using our building and the price is subsidized. I may assign some people maybe I don’t know what department to compare the price of food.”

Regarding pricing concerns, Speaker Nunu mentioned the formation of a committee to evaluate restaurant prices and ensure they align with market standards.