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NUP attacks deputy Speaker, refuses to replace MP Zaake
Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake and Parliament Deputy Speaker Anita Among. PHOTO/COMBO
What you need to know:
- NUP claims the process of censoring Mr Francis Zaake was illegal.
The National Unity Platform (NUP) has attacked the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Ms Anita Among, calling her a self-seeker.
The Opposition party said they would not submit another person to replace Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake, who was removed from the position of commissioner.
Mr David Lewis Rubongoya, the NUP secretary general, told journalists at their head offices in Kamwokya yesterday that they still regard Zaake as their commissioner referring to the recent censorship as a political witch-hunt.
“We are protesting the so-called censorship in Parliament of our own member, Hon Zaake. We don’t have another person in that position and we shall not send any other name...,” Mr Rubongoya said.
“There have been many people who wanted to prove that they are too powerful but ended up in the ditch. We advise to go slow with that self-seeking nature,” he added.
Last week, a total of 155 legislators voted to remove Mr Zaake from the Parliament Commission for allegedly disparaging the deputy Speaker, Ms Anita Among. Only four members voted against the removal of Mr Zaake while the tally registered two invalid votes.
The motion for the removal of Mr Zaake was moved by the Bardege-Layibi Division MP, Mr Ojara Mapenduzi, after the House adopted the majority report authored by Parliament’s Committee on Rules, Privileges, and Discipline chaired by the Bugweri County MP, Mr Abdu Katuntu.
According to NUP, this did not provide a quorum for the House to censor Zaake as provided for by the rules of procedure in Parliament.
Section 93 (1, 2, 3 and 4) of the Rules of Procedure (for the 11th Parliament) on the questions to be decided by majority stipulate that “Except as otherwise prescribed by the Constitution or any law consistent with the Constitution, all questions proposed for the decision of Parliament shall be determined by a majority of votes of the members present and voting.
Mr Chris Obore, the spokesperson of Parliament, told Daily Monitor yesterday that under Section 7 (6) of the Administration of Parliament Act, the commission acts even when there is a vacancy.
“The law also states that there shall be four backbench commissioners one of whom shall be from the Opposition side. Therefore, if the Opposition does not send a member, it means the Commission will work with the unfilled vacancy,” Mr Obore said in an interview.
Asked on the issue of quorum in the commission, Mr Obore said: “The issue of lack of quorum doesn’t arise in this case.”
Mr Mufumbiro also said Mr Mathias Mpuuga, the Leader of Opposition, will continue to sit in the commission despite the ongoing contestation from the entire Opposition.
