Controversial city legislators Allan Ssewanyana (Makindye West) and Mubarak Munyagwa (Kawempe South) have today protested over opposition kingpin Dr. Kizza Besigye’s continued detention.
The two walked out on President Museveni as he addressed MPs during the State of the Nation Address at the Kampala Serena Conference Center.
The duo, close associates of Dr. Besigye and Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, were part of a section of opposition legislators who had earlier held placards with inscriptions demanding for the release of the former presidential candidate.
The messages on the placards read: “Release Besigye… Release Besigye” but when Speaker Rebecca Kadaga asked the holders to put them down, Mr. Ssewanyana and Munyagwa walked out of the venue in protest.
This also marked the beginning of the first session of the 10th parliament for the two lawmakers.
The new Leader of Opposition in Parliament Winnie Kiiza joined them in protest after the occasion and revealed that President Museveni had hurt the opposition’s ‘feelings’ by ignoring Besigye’s case.
She said: “We expected President Museveni to talk about Dr. Kizza Besigye’s arrest but he didn’t. We are hurt.”
When NBS TV asked about the contradictions surrounding her new role asLoP, the Kasese Women MP was straightforward
“Yes, the party [FDC] made a final decision, there is no doubt about that. What the Speaker meant about ‘Leader of Minority’ was an omission of the title “Leader of Opposition”: ‘It will be corrected’
The opposition had asked the president to instead of delivering the address, handover power to Kizza Besigye who allegedly won the 2016 general elections.
Addressing press at the party head offices in Najjanankumbi on Monday, FDC spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda said handing over power and releasing Besigye from Luzira prison is what they expect of Museveni.
