The Democratic Party has weighed in on last week’s protest that saw over ten pigs thrown at Parliament, protesting against Shs200 million to be given to MPs to purchase cars.

Speaking at a weekly press conference at their head offices on City House, Kampala, DP spokesperson Paul Kenneth Kakande said the party is against the arrest of the two youths, Ferdinand Lutta and Joseph Lukwago, who allegedly dumped the pigs, painted in different party colours, at Parliament.

The duo was picked up minutes after they pulled up at the main gate of Parliament and released eight piglets painted in yellow and blue colours to protest the extravagant expenditure of taxpayer’s money by MPs. The pigs were painted in two colours – blue and yellow, colours of the biggest political parties in Uganda. Yellow for ruling party National Resistance Movement (NRM) and blue for the biggest opposition party – Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).
The piglets had tags in the name of the Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga, her deputy Jacob Oulanyah, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Winnie Kiiza, Kampala Central MP Muhammad Nsereko, Kato Lubwama of Lubaga South, Muyanja Ssenyonga, Workers MP Arinaitwe Rwakajara, Nakifuma County MP Robert Kafeero Ssekitoleko, and the Communications Director of Parliament Chris Obore.

And, according to Kakande, the MPs should focus on the message the youths are trying to send.

“The real point is, what are these young people saying? A pig eats its piglets. Many of you have read about the Animal Farm. The leaders of the Animal Farm were pigs. So I think these young people are trying to send a message to our Parliament – that may be they are behaving like pigs,” he said while addressing journalists this morning.

He added: “We should not arrest them. We should scrutinize our actions and listen to them, may be they are right or wrong…the public should judge them. This should be a time of reflection…you don’t kill the messenger. There are many people who are dissatisfied by the conduct of us, politicians and they have no way of expressing themselves. May be those are the few who can stand up to express themselves. We should encourage them. We should encourage a society that debates the conduct of their leaders. There were even blue pigs. This is not about … it is about how our society is being managed…”

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Five Uganda Young Democrats (UYD) members who were allegedly behind the recent protest that involved dropping pigs at Parliament are expected in court today for their bail hearing.

But as they return to court, Kampala Central MP Muhammad Nsereko has waged up a protracted war against the five and former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate, Dr Kiiza Besigye, whom he accuses of being behind the protests.

Speaking to media on Monday, Nsereko said that the protests were part of the FDC’s campaigns in its fight against the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) government. And being that he didn’t support the opposition in the past, he became one of their main targets, he said.

“You’ve tried all avenues…now you are inciting people to turn against Parliament….If defiance meant there is no swearing in, people were sworn in including himself,” Nsereko said.

In response to Nsereko, FDC Spokesperson and Kira Municipality MP, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, while appearing Monday on NTV advised him: “If what you are doing is not pleasing the public, the people have every right to show their dissatisfaction. Even Nsereko is not above criticism. By him demonizing and insulting Dr Besigye, we shall mobilise ourselves and he will pay the price.”

Nsereko welcomed Ssemujju’s statement, threatening to mobilse against him.

“I’m happy let them shift the battle to me. I am ready to take them on. Let’s shift the battle away from Parliament….because mine are facts.”

Meanwhile, social critic Frank Gashumba has also joined the verbal war. “I am fed up of this war of words. Kayihura should give us the Constitutional Square for we can go bare knuckles. How can you plan for the dead when the living are still living under deplorable conditions?” he said in a live video on Facebook.

“At first I thought we were in a struggle to liberate our people but I have come to realize that majority of these (MPs) were after liberating themselves. Though, the problem isn’t with the MPs, it’s with the public. Who votes for these people? This will go on until the day you learn to vote for people who represent you (and not their interests).

“When pigs painted in only yellow, we never saw opposition MPs coming out to condemn the act. However, because the recent pigs thrown at Parliament were painted in different colours, they have all come out. But as long as we pay you, we won’t remain silent. And you shouldn’t hide behind religion…this is not a religious war. If we can criticize the President, who is you?” Gashumba asks, apparently directing his question to MPs who are busy finalizing a deal that will see them get Shs200 million, ostensibly to purchase vehicles to ease their transport woes.

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President Yoweri Museveni has today arrived in New York for the 71^st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) currently taking place at the United Nations Headquarters under the theme: ‘The Sustainable Development Goals: a universal push to transform our world’.

The President, who was received at the JFK international airport by Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dr. Richard Nduhuura and Uganda’s ambassador to the United States Oliver Wonekha, is accompanied by the First Lady and Minister for Education Janet Kataha Museveni.

The United Nations General assembly takes place every year at this time and convenes leaders from around the world; from Heads of States and governments to corporations, to advance solutions to today’s global problems.

The assembly is expected to among others, discuss key issues including the question of refugees, climate change, progress made on the sustainable development goals, strengthening global health and advancing gender equality.

The President will tomorrow deliver a keynote address at the EAC Heads of State and CEOs roundtable hosted by the US Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker.

He will later join other Heads of State at the opening of the 71^st Session of the UN General Assembly and later attend a leaders summit on refugees hosted by President Barack Obama, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Pierre James Trudeau, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Swedish Prime minister Stefan Löfven, King of Jordan Abdulla II and the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.

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