Kampala, Uganda -The Deputy Speaker of the Ugandan Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, reminded Members of Parliament (MPs) of their right to freely enter and exit the House without requiring permission from the presiding officer. His statement came in response to a walkout protest by opposition MPs who were expressing their concerns over the arrest, kidnapping, and detention of their leaders’ supporters.
Tayebwa emphasized that MPs have the right to enter or leave the House as they see fit, especially if they feel uncomfortable conducting parliamentary business. He made it clear that they do not need to seek permission to do so.
“This is a level you reach after interacting with the presiding officer; you don’t ambush the presiding officer that way on the floor. When we are in this House, no one asks me for permission, no one has given me warning that they are walking out, so whoever is to sit and handle business should continue, those who are uncomfortable can move out,” the Deputy Speaker stated.
Tayebwa’s comments followed his attempts to calm the opposition MPs and facilitate the government’s presentation of a statement to explain the actions of security forces. However, the opposition rejected his proposal, prompting him to remind the Leader of the Opposition and his group that the presiding officer does not have the authority to prevent them from leaving the chambers.
He explained that such matters should have been discussed between the Leader of the Opposition and his office before the decision to walk out was taken. He stressed that, despite being the presiding officer, he had no power to stop any MP from leaving the chamber.
Muwanga Kivumbi, the acting Leader of the Opposition, led the protest, asserting that they would not continue attending Plenary sessions unless the government provided an explanation for the arrests of their leaders and colleagues. Kivumbi expressed concerns over the recent events and the abuse of independence in Uganda, highlighting the kidnapping of Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, the leader of the National Unity Platform (NUP), as well as the arrest of NUP leaders and youth.
The walkout and protests by the opposition MPs reflect ongoing tensions and challenges in the Ugandan political landscape.
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