By Mitchell Jena, editorial@alleastafrica.com
KAMPALA – There was drama at the National parliament of Uganda after Bukono County MP, Persis Namuganza shed tears demanding an apology from the speaker, Rebecca Kadaga after what she termed as …
Speaking before the Committee on Rules, Discipline and Privileges, the MP broke down as she explained their unfriendly relationship with the speaker.
Namuganza who is also the minister of State for Lands told te committee that their rival started when Kadaga started ‘interfering’ in the royal issues of the Nkono chiefdom, one of the core pillars of the Busoga kingdom.
“The speaker forcedly interfered with the royal issues of Nkono when she is not supposed to, when I tried to intervene, she termed me as an enemy,” said emotional Namuganza.
Ms Namuganza also told the committee that her life is in danger, after the Speaker allegedly ‘declared war’ on her.
“The Speaker has penetrated the family of the late Mutyaba and divided us to the extent that I cannot drink water from her father’s home,” claimed Namuganza said.
The minister accuses the Speaker of installing an illegitimate Nkono Chief, after the demise of her (Namuganza’s) father, Christopher Mutyaba.
The speaker, according to Ms Namuganza, installed an unknown Nkono in total disregard of several interventions and family misunderstandings on the succession.
Regarding the political question, Ms Namuganza told the Committee that the Speaker never supported her in the NRM Primaries for the Parliamentary seat which were held five times amidst violence, only to later emerge winner with a landslide victory as an independent candidate.
In a surprising development, the minister accepted having insulted Ms Kadaga on several social functions but she said that this was provoked by the Speaker’s own actions.
On Tuesday, lawmakers from the Busoga Parliamentary Caucus appeared before the same committee and recommended for the censure of Namuganza as minister, saying that she was involved in gross indiscipline.
The lawmakers further accused the minister of demeaning leaders from Busoga region mainly the Speaker and the Kyabazinga, William Gabula Nadiope IV whom she allegedly described as incompetent.
Ms Namuganza said that she does not subscribe to the Caucus which she says it is not an organ of Parliament.
She instead asked the committee to probe the “caucus” for allegedly making ‘illegal declarations’ barring her from accessing her constituency.
“The speaker should be summoned to not only explain her role in the royal affairs of the kingdom and Bukono County, but also to be advised on the parliamentary decorum relating to her position,” said the minister.
The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah tasked the committee about two weeks ago, to investigate the rift, establish the circumstances under which the two were bickering and advise Parliament.
Mr Oulanyah noted that the public exchanges were casting Parliament into negative light and needed to be put to rest.
He pointed out that the committee was set to listen to both parties before a neutral decision is made.
