Opposition legislators were on Wednesday divided on whether to attend a private security meeting with President Yoweri Museveni.
While addressing MPs on the state of security in the country during a parliamentary sitting on June 20, Speaker Rebecca Kadaga requested for an interactive meeting for all MPs with the President outside Parliament on matters of security considering that parliament Rules of Procedure do not allow the House to debate the president’s statement in his presence.
In response, Museveni welcomed the Speaker’s request saying, “I have got a good meeting hall in Entebbe state lodge so you are all welcome and in case you are allergic to State House then we can meet here [OPM] and interact. I am available, I have no problem.”
As a result, Clerk to Parliament confirmed Museveni’s meeting with the MPs at the office of the Prime Minister Conference Hall which was still ongoing by press time.
Prior to the meeting, Leader of Opposition (LoP) Winfred Kiiza reportedly told opposition MPs to boycott the meeting citing several factors among them include the current detention of Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze.
However, Whereas in her presence the MPs agreed not to attend the meeting, a section of them later defied the directive and attended the meeting saying the interaction with the President on security is a matter of national importance.
“We don’t have just to defy and oppose everything. The stability and security of this country is of importance to all of us irrespective of our political differences,” one opposition MP has told this writer by telephone.