A group of people claiming to be supporters of Ms Rebecca Kadaga, the Speaker of Parliament, on Wednesday camped outside the High Court in Kampala where she was expected to defend herself over allegations of illegally suspending six members of Parliament during the voting on the contentious age limit law.
The High Court issued fresh summons ordering Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga and the Attorney General (AG) to appear in court to defend themselves.
The presiding judge Margaret Oguli Oumo adjourned the case to January 3 2018, after the two respondents (Kadaga and AG) failed to turn up for the hearing.
“Take notice that hearing of this suit has been fixed on January 3, 2018 at 10:00am. If no appearance is made on yourself, pleader or someone by law authorised to act for, the matter shall be heard in your absence,” reads part of the hearing notice signed by Justice Oguli.
The supporters wearing National Resistance Movement T-shirts bearing the picture of President Yoweri Museveni, carried posters denouncing the court summons.
Daily Monitor could not verify reports that most of the alleged supporters of Ms Kadaga are members of Kampala crime gang commonly known as Kifeesi.
Some of the placards read: “Leave Kadaga alone”; NRM Oyee, Leave Kadaga alone; the quorum was there (317).”
The MPs were were suspended are; Gerald Karuhanga (Ntungamo Municipality), Jonathan Odur (Erute County South), Mubarak Munyangwa (Kawempe South), Anthony Akol, (Kilak North) Allan Ssewanyana (Makindye West) and Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda (Kira Municipality).
The group that had appeared in court December 27, 2018 said they were disappointed with the way the AG is acting.
“After waiting for so long for the representative of the AG to turn up, we were only informed by the judge after making a call to their chambers that he (Mr Elisha Bafirawala) was indisposed. Not even the speaker showed up yet she was summoned,” Mr Lukwago told journalists who had been barred from entering court.
In their petition, the suspended MPs filed in Kampala High Court last week, they had contended that the matching order issued to them by Ms Kadaga, barring them from attending the debate on the Bill (now law), was illegal.
Some of the suspended MPs and their colleagues in court on Wednesday. Photo by Abubaker Lubowa
Some of the pro-Kadaga supporters at the High Court. Photo by Abubaker Lubowa
The MPs were suspended for seven sittings during heated debate on the Bill after the majority and minority reports on the Bill were tabled for debate.
They wanted court to declare their suspension invalid and to order the Speaker to rescind her decision and allow them back in the House.
