The Leader of Opposition (LOP) Joel Ssenyonyi has put to task the Speaker of Parliament, Annet Anita Among to disclose the identity of the people who attacked MPs during last week’s raucous debate on the coffee bill.
Last week, opposition Members of Parliament were physically lifted out of Parliament after they had been suspended by the Speaker. This followed a fracas in which Kilak North MP Anthony Akol boxed his Mityana municipality counterpart Francis Zaake. Parliament was sitting to determine whether the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UDCA) should be rationalized.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday at parliament, Ssenyonyi said they want the speaker to explain why she suspended the 12 MPs and who were the men in plain clothes who were seen assaulting the legislators.
Ssenyonyi also said he condemned the detention of journalists to stop them from covering what was going on. He said journalists play a very significant role in relaying the decisions of policymakers. He said that parliament debating in the absence of journalists is tantamount to usurping the power of the people.
On that day, journalists were not only closed in the conference hall of parliament but also the electricity was taken off and the telephone network was jammed to stop the coverage of what was going on. All these Ssenyonyi said showed that the bill to rationalize UCDA was never brought in good faith.
He however said that although the bill was passed and awaits presidential assent, this will not stop them from pushing on with the fight for Uganda’s coffee.
Ssenyonyi also wants President Museveni to substantiate his claims that UCDA was only giving coffee seedlings to opposition MPs leaving out their NRM counterparts.
While speaking in Eastern Uganda last week monitoring the parish development President Museveni said he had information that the fight for the survival of UCDA by opposition MPs was motivated by selfish reasons.
Meanwhile, Ssenyonyi also condemned opposition MPs Akol and Zaake for fighting for a seat. Ssenyonyi said although there was a deficiency in seats due to the many MPs who had shown up for the debate, this should never have been a reason for exchanging blows.
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