The Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LoP) who doubles as Nyendo-Mukungwe legislator Mathias Mpuuga has petitioned the Clerk of parliament protesting the motion seeking for removal of Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake from the Parliamentary Commission.
The motion seeking for eviction of Zaake from the commission is being moved by the Gulu West Member of Parliament Ojara Martin Mapenduzi. The mission is seconded by Amolatar Woman MP Atim Agnes Apea the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Soroti West MP (Independent) Jonathan Ebwalu and Busia MP Geoffrey Macho (Independent). The group accuses Zaake of incompetence and misconduct.
“We have written to the Clerk of Parliament over the ambiguous motion being fronted by some Members with the intention of removing Zaake from the Parliamentary Commission. The motion contravenes Rule 107 clauses 2 to 7 which demand a written notice,” Mpuuga said.
Mpuuga said that being served to the office of the Speaker articulating the grounds of the motion and the evidence thereof, the Parliamentary Rules of Procedure requires that the grounds and evidence be displayed at the Members’ notice board, and a list placed at the Sergeant at Arms office.
“For atleast third of MPs with voting rights have to sign. It remains unclear how the a third of MPs was notified and persuaded to sign the petition which was never displayed for 14 days as required by the Rules of Procedure. The motion abuses the requirements of Rule 110(5),” Mpuuga said.
LoP said the motion compromises transparency and compliance to Rules 110(2) & 107(5) and the rule of Natural Justice which demands fair hearing.
It all started with Members of Acholi Parliamentary forum boycotting a motion seeking to censure Security Minister Jim Muhwezi. The Opposition MPs ressoved to boycott parliamentary settings claiming that minister of security has abdicated his responsibility and that has resulted into forced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detentions, continued torture. We find him unfit to continue occupying that sensitive office.
Political analysts however said that the motion for removal of Zaaka from the commission is aimed at mounting pressure on the opposition to drop the motion to censure the security minister.
