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Speaker Among orders plenary cancelation amid growing anti-graft protests
MPs during a session chaired by the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Thomas Tayebwa, on July 23, 2024. PHOTO | DAVID LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- This decision follows a series of events, starting with a group of youths who took to Kampala streets on Tuesday, demanding the Speaker's resignation amidst corruption allegations against Parliament.
Speaker of Parliament Anita Among has directed the Clerk to Parliament, Adolf Mwesige, to cancel this week's plenary sitting under unclear circumstances. According to a communication from the House, plenary is expected to resume on July 30, 2024.
This decision follows a series of events, starting with a group of youths who took to Kampala streets on Tuesday, demanding the Speaker's resignation amidst corruption allegations against Parliament.
The House had resumed sittings on Tuesday after a month-long recess. Over 50 protestors were subsequently arrested and remanded to Luzira prison on charges of being idle and disorderly, and creating public nuisance.
Tensions escalated further in the House last evening when some MPs accused security personnel of suppressing the civil liberties of lawful protesters participating in an anti-corruption march towards Parliament.
The plenary session, chaired by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, saw the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Mr Joel Ssenyonyi, urging Mr Tayebwa to allow debate on the reasons behind the anti-graft protest, which largely targeted the Speaker and House commissioners.
During the session, Aringa South MP Mr Yorke Odria Alioni criticized both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, saying, “You and Speaker [Anita Among] have been pointed out for being corrupt, your name has been mentioned for being corrupt, we are also having a motion for a matter to be debated on the commissioners, we have our evidence and have them defend themselves, you are blocking us, what is this Parliament all about? Where are you taking this country?” he asked.
Mr Odria also accused Mr Tayebwa of remaining silent on corruption issues. “We voted for you [Mr Tayebwa] to chair this House neutrally. You have failed to defend this House…My first question is, you as the chair, as the Speaker, what have you done to clean our image which has been bad, they are calling us corrupt.”
Mr Ssenyonyi criticized the government for selectively applying the law against protesters. He cited recent protests against the Lwemiyaga County MP, Mr Theodore Ssekikubo, where constituents were on July 12 and July 15, allowed to access the precincts of Parliament, noting disparities in how these demonstrations were handled compared to others.
Mr Ssekikubo has been at the forefront of efforts to censure the House commissioners who received billions of shillings as part of their service award.
“There seems to be double standards within our institution called Parliament. Last week, some citizens came to Parliament with placards to protest against one of our colleagues, Theodore Ssekikubo, they came the first day, they were ushered into Parliament with their placards, then they came the following day, they were still ushered in,” Mr Ssenyonyi said.
Whereas Mr Tayebwa faulted Parliament’s security for the lapses in allowing protesters to gain access on July 12 and July 15, he said the agenda of the anti-corruption march lacked clarity.
“The institution of Parliament hasn’t received any formal notification of anyone who wants to bring a petition regarding the issues they are talking about in public. I will not move from my chair, to start moving around looking for people, soliciting for petitions from the public, when we are a formal institution that has formal structures,” Mr Tayebwa said.
“The address of Parliament is known, I request, if there is anyone who wants to bring a petition to Parliament, let them write to the leadership of Parliament, we shall guide them on how to bring the petition and we shall receive it.”
This, however, attracted heckles from a section of lawmakers. But he defended his position arguing that, “but you are deviating me, I have an order paper which I issued out [to guide the plenary debates].”
This stance was met with objections from some lawmakers, including Mr Jonathan Odur and Mr Francis Mwijukye, who argued that the debate on the arrests of youthful protesters was of national importance. Mr Muwanga Kivumbi echoed these sentiments, highlighting the underlying crisis driving the protests.
Mr Tayebwa ruled that any debate on the protests would only proceed after the House Business Committee scheduled it on the Order Paper.
