Speaker Anitah Among has vowed to continue holding regional parliamentary sittings, despite public criticism and boycott from some Opposition MPs, saying Parliament can proclaim to hold a sitting anywhere in Uganda, even in the middle of the road.

Among made the remarks while addressing journalists during the visit to Late Speaker Jacob Oulanyah’s home in Omoro district, where she defended the regional sittings arguing that there are MPs who do not even know the road leading to Gulu, and it is time Gulu also benefited from having Parliamentary sittings.

“The sitting in Gulu and greater North is a normal sitting. Parliament isn’t a building in Kampala, we can proclaim and sit anywhere in this country, even in the middle of the road, that is what the law says. And bringing Parliament to sit in Gulu is an added advantage to the people of the Northern region. Gulu or Northern Region belongs to Uganda and because it belongs to Uganda, it must benefit from what the normal sittings that take place in Kampala benefits,” Among said.

“There are MPs who don’t even know the road to Gulu, but now when we are sitting in Gulu, you find all the hotels are full, all the food is being eaten. People are benefitting. But it is also important for us to take Parliament to the people. We are elected by the people, so it is just prudent enough for us to take Parliament to the people, not always people going to Parliament,” she remarked.

“It is nothing peculiar, it has ever happened and it is going to continue happening. Those who are saying they are going to boycott or whichever, it is going to continue happening until we say stop. Parliament will sit here, and it will go to another region, but the first priority was Gulu for us to recognize that the Late Speaker came from Gulu,” added the Speaker.

The Speaker also promised to continue supporting late Oulanyah’s family as long as she is still Speaker, because she still has another term to serve as Speaker of Parliament and there are plans underway to send Oulanyah’s daughter Karen Atim abroad to study pediatrics as promised to the father.

“When we were here, we made the commitment that we would support the family and I pray that we aren’t disappointed. We supported Andrew to become the MP because he was the eldest boy around, we also supported the smallest boy, and we are educating Atim and we are only waiting for her admission for us to send her out to do pediatrics as promised to the brother. And our being here is part of the love we have for the Late Jacob Oulanyah. He was a brother, a friend and our leader. And being our leader, friend and brother, his family remains our family,” she said.

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The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has disconnected water services to Luzira Prison Complex due to outstanding water bills worth Shs18, 272,450,274.

Frank Baine, Senior Commissioner of Prisons said that NWSC disconnected the water services on August 13, 2024.

“This disconnection occurred despite the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development releasing Shs7, 996,253,000 that has already been remitted to NWSC,” Baine said.

He added, “This situation is a matter of national concern. However, the Uganda Prisons Service is currently utilizing water bowsers to mitigate the water crisis.”

Frank Baine revealed that meanwhile, negotiations are going on between the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Uganda Prisons Service and National Water and Sewerage Corporation to restore the water situation to normal.

However, the affected prisoners and staff have been urged to remain calm as long-term solutions are being sought.

“Uganda Prisons Services remains committed to upholding its mission of providing safe, secure and humane custody of offenders.

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Some Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) have defied caution by Joel Ssenyonyi, Leader of Opposition not to attend the Regional Parliamentary Sittings due to the financial strain they will impose on taxpayers, saying the budget for the sittings was passed by Parliament, so it is wastage of time by the Opposition to feign ignorance about these sittings.

Leading the defiance was Abed Bwanika (Kimaanya-Kabonero) of National Unity Platform-NUP and Naboth Namanya (Rubabo County) FDC who made their stances ahead of their departure to Gulu, with Bwanika arguing that the National Unity Platform should have used this opportunity to seek for support from the Northern region, a region that never supported the Party during the 2021 general elections, instead of opposing the activity just because it is being spearheaded by Speaker Among.

“If the Opposition was clever, we would have been the first to camp in Northern Uganda so we gather the region and support us, but if you start this kind of politics that I am not going because it is Speaker Among in charge, that means you have never understood politics. The Northern region didn’t support us. The National Unity Platform doesn’t even have any MP from that region,” Bwanika said.

Bwanika also disputed Leader of Opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi’s claims that he wasn’t aware of this activity, saying the money for the regional sittings was approved by MPs and went on to question Ssenyonyi’s understanding of the budget process in Uganda.

“This would have been the best opportunity for the Party to expand its structures, but instead of expanding the Party structure, he is saying I am not going, I was never informed, Ssenyonyi, where are you always when the budget is being passed because you don’t seem to understand anything? Where are you always when Parliament budgets are being passed? I heard you say Shs5 trillion, which isn’t even in the budget,” he added.

Although Naboth Namanya (Rubabo County) is opposed to the holding of regional sittings citing wastage of taxpayers’ money, he said that if the Opposition wanted to stop the regional parliamentary sittings, they should have protested the budgetary allocations, but since they were overpowered by the numerical strength by their counterparts in NRM, he decided to go as decision taken in the regional Parliaments are likely to affect his people in Rubabo-Rukungiri district.

“Now if you say we shouldn’t go because the Leader of Opposition said we shouldn’t go, does it mean that in every decision made in Parliament where the NRM means, we should leave? Our Opposition budget was Shs43 trillion and those people passed the Shs72 trillion budget, so should we abandon the national budget because our Opposition budget was rejected? So fundamentally, we can accept some issues and reject others. I am opposed to spending taxpayers’ money in these regional parliaments, but because our colleagues decided that, let me go with the majority and go and represent my nation,” Namanya added.

Paul Asaba (Kyaka North) claimed that the Shs20 trillion cited by the Leader of Opposition as expenditure for the regional sittings is forged, but just like all the people disputed Ssenyonyi’s figure, Asaba also declined to reveal that actual amount that Parliament was going to spend on these activities.

‘So, if they just say that now, that we are changing the venue from Kampala to Northern Uganda, even if they hadn’t put the Parliamentary buses as a Member of Parliament, we are given a vehicle, fuel I can drive my vehicle and go to Northern Region and we also sit in the Northern region,” remarked Asaba.

“We have heard some voices from some MPs, more especially from those in Opposition, I don’t think from our Party (NRM), there are those who are refusing. They are saying that the expenditure is going to be so high, they are even forging some amounts, that this money would build a health facility, but that isn’t true. First of all, MPs get salary and allowances and we use the money that we are paid for to come here, stay in Kampala and deliberate on issues concerning our constituencies,” argued Asaba.

“We are going as Parliament and the Parliamentary proceedings are going to be the same- normal. We have just changed the area where we are going to be, only that, but the rest will be normal. The only thing that we want to hear from this, we want to hear all the things affecting that region, we discuss and we see how best the Government can intervene and help them. So, the only thing that we want is to at least sit, carefully listen from those people who come from that particular region, the challenges that affect them, we sit down as Parliament, listen and harmonise and understand what the best remedy for that region could be,” Stephen Kangwagye (Bukanga County)-NRM.

“You are coming to a place (Gulu City) where God lives. The beauty about having these regional parliamentary sittings is that it is an opportunity to focus on that particular region. So, this to us, this is an opportunity to give a deeper focus on Northern Uganda. It is also an opportunity to have Parliament closer to the people, there are so many schools that want to be there and follow how Parliament conducts business, but also, there are critical issues that the leaders in Northern Ugandan have actually assembled together that we will be presenting before Parliament,” Mapenduzi Ojara (Bardege-Layibi Division) -Independent.

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The Chief Magistrate’s Court of Makindye, on August 23, 2024, issued a warrant of arrest against a 21-year-old woman accused of engaging in homosexuality. The woman identified as Najjemba Hillaryn was reportedly arrested and taken into custody by police after authorities described her as a suspect in what they termed as a ‘lesbian relationship.” Sources familiar with the matter indicate that the arrest followed a tip-off from the local community.

Police officers allegedly apprehended the young woman and transported her to the Industrial Area Police Station for questioning. According to the letter of intention to sue reviewed by this publication, the alleged offence is said to have occurred in July 2024. A case of “unnatural offence” (sodomy) was reportedly registered at Industrial Area Police Station under Reference No 01/19/28/2024.

Following her initial detention, Najjemba was reportedly released on police bond pending further investigations. However, police later stated that she failed to comply with bond conditions and did not report as required. Authorities subsequently declared her whereabouts unknown, and as a result, police reportedly circulated a public notice within areas of her known residence, urging members of the public to provide any information that could assist in locating and rearresting her.

In addition, after the matter was reported to the police by the complainant’s mother through Baraka Legal Associates Advocates, it is said to have filed a case before the Makindye Magistrate’s Court. Court proceedings reportedly led to the issuance of a warrant of arrest to secure the rearrest of Najjemba Hillaryn.

Sources at Entebbe International Airport indicate that the accused may have left the country although the specific destination has not been independently confirmed . Uganda Police has reported indicated that Interpol may be engaged to assist in tracing and apprehending the suspect.

Under Uganda’s Penal Code Act, Cap 120, section 145, any person who has carnal knowledge of another person “against the order of nature” commits an offence and is liable upon conviction to imprisonment for a term exceeding seven years.

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