Members of Parliament from the opposition have vowed not to sit in Parliament until President Museveni responds to Speaker Rebecca Kadaga’s letter demanding the arrest of officers attached to the Special Forces Command to beat up and tortured MPs in Arua.
Speaker Kadaga on Sunday wrote to Museveni demanding that action is taken against the officers for maiming, dehumanising and disrespecting MPs they arrested in Arua on the eve of the area’s municipality by-elections.
#PlenaryUg MPs say an attack on a member is an attack on #Parliament, which should be properly addressed before conducting any other business in the House; request for full debate and resolution on the matter @ubctvuganda @ntvuganda @Jadwong @JacobOulanyah @nbstv @LOP_UGANDA
— Parliament of Uganda (@Parliament_Ug) August 28, 2018
Kalungu MP, Joseph Sewungu said the president needs to know that Parliament is not his property and that the Speaker’s letter is not a request.
“If he (Museveni) does not respond to it, we are not allowing Parliament to sit,” Sewungu added.
Opposition Chip Whip, Ibrahim Semujju Nganda, also noted that SFC has made it a habit to attack legislators and must be dealt with in equal measure.
Opposition Whip @SsemujjuNganda says it would not be proper for #PlenaryUg to proceed before the President responds to Speaker’s letter on the arrest of MPs; @JacobOulanyah suggests #Parliament proceeds with business as it awaits the response @ubctvuganda @ntvuganda @nbstv
— Parliament of Uganda (@Parliament_Ug) August 28, 2018
“Last year they attacked us in the house here. They strangled us when the whole world was watching. When the Speaker wrote to Museveni, no response was given. If the same happens this time, we shall take our own measures,” Semujju said.
Parliament was forcefully adjourned to Tuesday next week after MPs told off the Prime Minister, Ruhakana Rugunda when he suggested that investigations into the torture of Zaake and Kyagulanyi were on-going and that sitting should continue “business as usual.”