We shall storm parliament again if MPs fight instead of debate- Army commander
The commander for the Land Forces, Lt Gen Petet Elwelu has said the army will not hesitate storming parliament again should legislators divert from debating and engage in chaos and fist fights.
Elwelu made the statements during a piping ceremony in Bombo Barracks on Wednesday.
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“If MPs dare to fight instead of debating their way out of controversial issues again, the army will not hesitate to storm the chambers a second time to restore sanity,” Elwelu said.
“We shall come for you, and shall bring peace,” he added.
Elwelu’s statements were condemned by a section of legislators who maintained that parliament does not need help from the army to enforce discipline in the chambers.
Manjiya County legislator John Baptist Nambashe said Elwelu’s statements highlighted how backward the officer is.
“It is very unfortunate, unbecoming, backward and Precambrian in nature for an officer at that rank to make such statements,” Nambashe said.
“But members of parliament will not take this lying down, at an appropriate time we will sit and discuss a way forward on what Elwelu has threatened to do,” he added.
Israel Mayengo, a former member of parliament said that Elwelu’s comments convey a troubled state.
“It portrays troubles only. The issue however is if Elwelu and his commander in chief are in agreement,’ Mayengo said.
In September last year, a group of officers attached to President Museveni’s elite force, SFC stormed parliament and plucked out opposition legislators during the debate on the controversial age limit removal.
The Chief of Defense Forces, General David Muhoozi later admitted that he gave a green light to the Special Forces Command (SFC) to storm Parliament during the debate, he said it was following a request from the IGP, Gen Kale Kayihura for reinforcement for an emergency at parliament.
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