MP Akol asks Zaake to apologise over Parliament scuffle
Mityana Municipality MP, Francis Zaake admitted after he was beaten by his Kilak North counterpart, Anthony Akol (inset) on October 6, 2024. PHOTOS/ NMG
What you need to know:
- This is not the first time Mr Akol has been caught in an altercation with a fellow legislator. Back in 2020, he engaged in a physical altercation with then Aruu County legislator Mr Odonga Otto.
Kilak North MP Anthony Akol has spoken out about circumstances under which he punched his Mityana Municipality counterpart, Francis Zaake during Wednesday plenary session moments before the passing of the controversial Coffee Bill, 2024.
Mr Akol (FDC) punched Mr Zaake (NUP) several times over a seat arrangement in the House where 305 attended plenary which passed the Bill.
Speaking to NTV-Uganda, a sister station to this publication, Mr Akol on Friday said he does not understand why his colleague provoked him.
“I left my home on Wednesday, to attend Parliament, and from nowhere, I was attacked, an attack I cannot explain because I was sitted and the man came and started telling me to leave the seat. That is where I used to sit with the late Honorable Cecilia Ogwal (former Dokolo Woman Representative),” Mr Akol said.
He elaborated that for shadow ministers like Mr Zaake, their seats are usually reserved at another front location, within the Parliament chambers.
“Zaake is a shadow cabinet minister, in charge of the Presidency and knows where to sit, in front, and it does not make sense to me why he came and wanted me to leave that particular place and to make matters worse, he was pushing me. It is unfortunate what happened, it is something I am not happy about because that is not how leaders should portray [themselves] in Uganda,” he said.
Mr Akol said perhaps his colleague’s confrontation was a wrong transfer of aggression since the atmosphere was already tense due to the ongoing deliberations of the Coffee Bill.
“But I am not even surprised [about the turnout of events] because the man was charged. When he was leaving the floor [after making his submission], he was [making gestures of] blows. It was a wrong transfer of aggression. Maybe he wanted to attack the Speaker? So why was he busy punching the air? Unfortunately, he targeted the wrong person,” he said.
Fighting is not a solution, the legislator insists, redeeming himself that it was only a reflex action.
“When you are attacked, you respond and that is what happened,” Mr Akol said, adding, “I am actually expecting an apology from Honorable Zaake, being someone younger than me, he is the age of my children. It is not right at all especially in an African setting when an adult is sitting [and he did what he did]. There was no need for him to push me when there was space near me. It was not making sense at all, so, why should I apologise?”
Following the scuffle, Mr Zaake was rushed to the Mother Kevin Private wing of Nsambya hospital in Kampala where he has been undergoing treatment for pain that resulted from the punches directed on his head. Mr Zaake previously told Daily Monitor that Mr Akol was the one who misbehaved by punching him several times and added that he did not fight his colleague back because of his bigger stature, being a fellow Opposition Member and him [Zaake] is already portrayed as a bad person in the House and therefore, did not want to soil his reputation further. Mr Zaake was discharged on Saturday morning, November 9. He has made intentions to sue Mr Akol for assault and battery.
Akol said let him proceed to file the case in court.
“Personally, I don’t want to go to court. Why should I? There is no sense in it. But let him go ahead. In a court of law, that is where we can resolve issues,” he said.
Previous altercation
This is not the first time Mr Akol has been caught in an altercation with a fellow legislator. Back in 2020, he engaged in a physical altercation with then Aruu County legislator Mr Odonga Otto.
The fight brewed over allegations that Mr Otto told Mr Akol’s voters to eject him out of Parliament over reports that he had sold their land in Amuru to the government.
Reflecting on the incident, Mr Akol said he never calls for such incidents to happen unless provoked.
“I am a very humble person but never attack me. When you attack me, it is like pushing an elephant, you will not survive. The same thing happened with Odonga Otto, he kicked me. I do not quarrel with people. But when you attack me, I defend myself,” Mr Akol said.
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