By Andrew Irumba
Kampala: The Speaker of Parliament of Uganda Rt. Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga asked the Parliamentary Committee on Rules to investigate Security Minister, Gen. Elly Tumwine over comments he allegedly made disparaging Parliament and the Speaker.
Trouble started when Bukonzo West MP Godfrey Atkins Katusabe on 23 July alleged on the floor of the House that Gen Tumwine during a one-on-one meeting on Monday, made disparaging statements about Parliament when the legislator informed the Security minister that he would raise a matter about ongoing fights over the cattle market in Mpondwe-Lhubiriha Town Council in Kasese District.
The cattle market is being contested by two entities, Babughirana Butchermen Development Association, and Alisamu Company Limited and as a result Kasese District security committee resolved to have the warring parties manage the market in two-week alternating shifts.
“What is Parliament and who is the Speaker? She only rules over Parliament but not Uganda,” Mr Katusabe quoted Gen Tumwine as saying.
Hon. Medard Sseggona (DP, Busiro
East County) moved a motion to refer Gen. Tumwine to the Rules Committee for
investigation.
“The Committee would take the occasion to take him through some form of
induction and also inquire whether he actually made the statements,” Sseggona
said.
MPs rejected a proposal by the
Attorney General, Hon. William Byaruhanga, to allow the Security Minister to
explain himself about the allegations on the floor of Parliament.
“The rules of Parliament are that since the allegations have been made in this
House, it is our humble view that he (Gen. Tumwine) comes here and gives a
response,” said Byaruhanga.
Legislators opposed the request saying, since the comments touched the Speaker, it would tantamount to conflict of interest since she was chairing the sitting.
Budadiri West MP Mr Nandala Mafabi (FDC) said investigating Gen Tumwine would send a signal to the Bush War soldiers that they fought to liberate Uganda to bring sanity in the country and therefore cannot be the ones to promote impunity.
“I thought that they went to Luwero to bring sanity. Gen Tumwine be taken to the Committee on Rules so that he can know that there is a Speaker in this House,” Mafabi charged.
Gen Tumwine who entered the House midway the debate told legislators that he had discussed the security concerns in Kasese District with Katusabe, and that provisions to harmonize the impasse had been established.
Hon. Cecilia Ogwal (FDC, Dokolo district) advised that the Security Minister desists from defending himself on the floor of Parliament but faces the Committee that would investigate the allegations and present a report. However, he was cut shut down by Dokolo District Woman MP Ms Cecilia Ogwal as he tried to make his defence.
The MP also said that Tumwine had pulled a pistol on her in the 7th Parliament, a case she reported to the Sergeant at Arms, who is in charge of security in Parliament.
Ogwal added that as a person who understands the rules of procedure, he would be the first person to defend Parliament using his experience of 33 years as a legislator.
“If there is anybody who can die for this Parliament, I am the one. I am a disciplined UPDF General and I am a born-again Christian,” Gen Tumwine said but Ogwal called him to order.
Speaker Kadaga asked the House Committee on Rules to also investigate the concerns raised by Cecilia Ogwal on threats by the Security Minister and present a comprehensive report.
“Hon. Members, I am not happy to be in this seat today because part of the issues raised concern the office of the Speaker. The only fair thing to do is to establish whether he said those things,” Kadaga said.
