Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa has summoned the Leader of the Opposition in parliament Mathias Mpuuga and 40 senior legislators for a closed-door meeting this morning and discuss how to resolve the impasse that has led to adjournment of plenary sitting 2 times.
The contentious subject on the floor of parliament has been rotating on the mistreatment of NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu who was intercepted at Entebbe International Airport and the events that unfolded to his supporters and journalists on October 5th 2023.
Acting Leader of Opposition for the day, Muwanga Kivumbi demanded an immediate explanation from the government on the events that unfolded on Bobi Wine's return or else he would lead his opposition members outside the sitting a statement which did not go well in the eyes of the presiding officer deputy Thomas Tayebwa.
Government efforts to table the statement since last week have met resistance on the floor of parliament and first, the sitting was disrupted by Rakai woman representative Julliet Kinyamatama over an alleged social video recording where Mityana municipality legislator Francis Zaake defamed her and Ssemwanga Gyavira in Rakai District leading to adjournment of the proceedings after female MPs protested against Zaake.
Relatedly, the House was adjourned prematurely yesterday when LoP Mathias Mpuuga accused the parliamentary IT department of sabotaging his documented video of the mistreatment of NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu and his supporters.
Mpuuga told the Plenary Session that he had submitted a clear video recording to the IT Department but he got information that the person in charge of IT disappeared at a time when the video was to be played, a statement which caused chaotic scenes and unrest from the opposition which led to suspension of 5 opposition members of parliament namely Francis Zaake, Betty Nambooze, Joyce Bagala, Derrick Nyeko and Kabuye Frank.
The suspension resulted from a vote that was taken on whether to allow the documented video to be played on the floor of parliament and the opposition miserably lost the vote.