The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, announced that the government will respond to opposition demands regarding reports of human rights violations during the parliamentary session scheduled for Tuesday, 21 November 2023. The response follows concerns raised by selected opposition MPs, primarily from the National Unity Platform, who protested the continued arrest and detention of their supporters by staging a walkout from a plenary session on 10 October 2023.
These MPs, led by the Leader of the Opposition, Mathias Mpuga, have since boycotted Parliament sittings, prompting a warning from Speaker Among about potential suspensions. “As a leader of this House, I am going to invoke the rule on 15 sittings. Do not be deceived that you can walk out and stay there; I will count 15 sittings, and we shall see what happens,” Among stated during the House sitting on Tuesday, 14 November 2023.
The upcoming government statement is expected to clarify its position on the alleged abductions, arrests, and detentions of opposition leaders and supporters. Geoffrey Macho, Independent MP for Busia Municipality, supported the Speaker’s call for a quick government response to these critical issues, emphasizing the importance of addressing the opposition’s concerns promptly to maintain the credibility of the government.
Additionally, Hon. Cecilia Ogwal of the FDC party from Dokolo district appealed to her colleagues to return to Parliament, highlighting it as the essential platform for addressing national issues. She reminded her peers of the parliamentary rule that could lead to severe consequences for MPs who persistently absent themselves from sessions without justification, including potentially losing their parliamentary seats.
This situation underscores the tensions within the Ugandan Parliament and the critical nature of the government’s forthcoming response in addressing the human rights concerns raised by the opposition.
