Tempers flare in House over arrest of protesters

Article 29 of the Constitution provides for the right of individuals to hold peaceful demonstrations. Article 43 (1) of the Constitution provides that in the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms prescribed, no person shall prejudice the fundamental or other human rights and freedoms of others or the public interest. 

However, article 43 (2) provides that public interest under this article shall not permit political persecution and detention without trial. Article 43 (2 (c) further provides that no person shall prejudice the fundamental or other human rights and freedoms of others or the public interest beyond what is acceptable and demonstrably justifiable in a free and democratic society.

With the Speaker of Parliament, Annet Anita Among in the crosshairs, the role of chairing the plenary was handed to her deputy, Thomas Tayebwa who called for calm during the plenary, which was returning from a recess. 

The Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Mr Joel Ssenyonyi, implored Mr Tayebwa to allow debate on what prompted the anti-graft protest largely targeting the Speaker and House commissioners. The protests cap months of an embarrassing spectacle where the Speaker was sanctioned by the UK and the United States of America on corruption allegations while several MPs have been charged and detained over corruption-related offences.

Mr Tayebwa, however, declined the request and pushed it to the House Business Committee, which will hold a meeting today at 9am to determine the order paper. 

The Business Committee will also discuss President Museveni’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), which he delivered last month, as one of the items listed on the order paper for debate in the plenary.

“Tomorrow [today], the Business Committee of Parliament is sitting and one of the issues we are considering on our business is the State of the Nation Address where all these issues we are dealing with [will be handled],” Mr Tayebwa said.

Once fleshed out and allocated specific dates, these issues will, according to him, be debated for two days. 

The Aringa South MP, Mr Yorke Odria Alioni, fired the first salvo at the Speaker and deputy Speaker. 

“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.

He accused Mr Tayebwa of being conspicuously silent regarding matters of corruption. 

“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 Odria further said: “In this same Parliament, we stood and requested you yourself and the Speaker Among that there is Parliament Exhibition going on the issues of corruption, give us space on the order paper to have this matter debated, It is two months down the road, the world is aware that there is corruption in this Parliament, we want this matter debated...” he said.

The brutal crackdown and arrests of protesters and NUP-leaning MPs provoked the ire of Mr Ssenyonyi. On Monday, Hassan Kirumira (Katikamu South), Francis Zaake (Mityana Municipality), and Charles Tabandeke (Bbaale County) were detained outside the NUP party offices and carted off to the LDC Magistrates Court where they were charged with holding an unlawful assembly and remanded to Luzira prison.  

Mr Ssenyonyi accused the government of applying the law selectively against protesters. This comes on the heels of a carefully choreographed protest against the Lwemiyaga County MP, Mr Theodore Ssekikubo, where constituents were on July 12 and July 15, allowed to access the precincts of Parliament. 

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].”  

Mr Jonathan Odur (Erute South) and Mr Francis Mwijukye (Buhweju County) said the debate on the arrests of youthful protesters is a matter of national importance.  

“In fact, I don’t know Luganda but this one hurt me a lot, when I was moving around and I saw people pointing at me calling me owe’kitibwa and I thought it was something nice, later I was told, it means I am a thief. I am not.”

Mr Muwanga Kivumbi, the MP of Butambala County, said: “The crisis why they [youth] are speaking about [through protests] is that they feel their issues don’t feature on the agenda of the order paper. 

“Therefore give it [the debate] the weight it deserves and create a temple where voices can be hard, because democracy has no meaning if those who have an opportunity to speak don’t speak the concerns...” 

But Mr Tayebwa ruled that the contentious subject of protests will only be debated after the House Business Committee allocates a date on the Order Paper. 

[email protected]