Mpuuga, Baryomunsi clash over opposition walk out of Parliament

The Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LOP), Mr Matthias Mpuuga and the Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Dr Chris Baryomunsi have clashed after the latter accused opposition leaders of trading drama in plenary sittings.

While addressing journalists in Kampala on October 25, Dr Baryomunsi described the opposition’s decision to storm out of Parliament and shunning plenary sittings as drama which has nothing to do with plenary business.

“Of late, our friends in the Opposition have decided to bring what is ordinarily supposed to be played at the National theatre and decided to play in Parliament. I don’t know what the walking out of Parliament has achieved, but we should not reduce Parliament to a house of drama,” Dr Baryomunsi said.

“People should hold the Opposition leaders accountable. Why should you be elected to represent people in Parliament and then you are constantly walking out?” he asked.

The minister’s concerns followed the decisions by the Opposition leaders led by LOP to walk out of Parliament for three consecutive times in a period of two weeks to show their dissatisfaction with government’s failure to address concerns against human rights violation by the security forces.

Last week, the Opposition vowed never to attend plenary sittings until they receive assurance from the office of the Speaker showing government's readiness to give a satisfying report on the issues of human rights violations and adductions in the country.

However, Dr Baryomunsi said that government has already responded to all the issues raised by those in opposition in parliament, adding that the current concerns are being used by the legislators to earn political mileage ahead of the 2026 general elections.

“They started by asking government to explain how Mr Robert Kyagulanyi was escorted from the Airport to his home, early this month. They later shifted rights violations and then missing persons and other things,” he said.

“All the raised issues were addressed, including a detailed report on each of the alleged missing persons that was issued by the Human Rights Commission,” he added.

In Response, Mr Mpuuga has today (Thursday) scoffed at the minister in charge of National guidance and defended the decision by the Opposition to stay away from plenary sittings, saying that there is no amount of legislation or oversight that is better than the lives of killed and kidnapped Ugandans.

“If the Minister in charge of national guidance is considering us to be dramatic when we are demanding accountability and justice for the killed and kidnapped Ugandans, then as a country we have a crisis,” Mr Mpuuga said in a Thursday video clip posted on his X (Twitter) handle.

“I want to assure Ugandans that we shall not relent on our demands until justice is served. Families which lost their dear ones must get justice, compensated and the perpetrators charged. Those who are still detained illegally must also be produced to reunite with their relatives,” he added.

Monitor has learnt that Mr Mpuuga is today set to convene a meeting with all opposition MPs to discuss a way forward during their stay away from the plenary sittings.