Following two days of chaos at Parliament prompted by the imminent tabling of a private members bill to lift the presidential age limit that is capped at 75 years, police has summoned 24 legislators for interrogation at the CID headquarters in Kibuli.
Yesterday, the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga suspended 25 opponents of the bill on the grounds of indiscipline, which they objected to, prompting a scuffle which left Soroti Woman MP Angelina Osege and Mityana Municipality MP Zaake Francis Butebi, injured and a lot of property damaged.
Among the MPs summoned by police today, the majority from the opposition include Allan Ssewanyana, Robert Kyagulanyi, Monica Amoding, Sam Lyomoki, Moses Kasibante, Betty Nambooze, Francis Zaake, Ibrahim Kasozi, Nzaavu, Gilbert Olanya, Muhammad Nsereko, Odonga Otto, and Winfred Nuwagaba and Nandala Mafabi. Amog others are Medard Lubega Seggona, Gerald Karuhanga, Gaffa Mbwatekamwa, Florence Nmayanja, Theodore Sekikubo, Barnabas Tinkasimire and Angelina Osege.
Interestingly, the State Minister for Water and Resources Ronald Kibuule, who reportedly sneaked a gun into the chambers on the first day of the chaos in contravention of the parliamentary rules, has not been summoned.
Incidentally, the chaos on the first day was sparked off following allegations that Kibuule had threatened Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, with the said gun.
Meanwhile, the chaotic circumstances on the second day prompted allegations that members of the Special Forces Command (SFC), an elite force that guards the President, stormed the chambers to throw out the defiant MPs, who have today received the police summons. However, it has been reported that the SFC, through its spokesperson Capt. Jimmy Omara, has since refuted the allegations.
In a related development, after the eviction of the defiant MPs, Igara West legislator Raphael Magyezi, who is peddling the private members bill that is aimed at removing presidential age limit, was granted 40 days leave to table it for debate.
This development has since caused anger amongst the population, with many accusing the government of being high-handed, and the police of being partisan.
