Who is Ssenyonyi? Speaker asks - dismissing attempted assassination claims

The revelation during the morning plenary by Peter Mugema, the Iganga Municipality MP, had stunned the house but not the Speaker.

PARLIAMENT | Speaker Anita Among has dismissed as "playing to the gallery" reports of assassination attempts on the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Joel Ssenyonyi.

The revelation during the morning plenary by Peter Mugema, the Iganga Municipality MP, had stunned the house but not the Speaker.

MP Mugema, popularly known as Panadol, had taken to the floor to report that he had heard the LoP claiming that his life was in danger to which he wanted Mr Ssenyonyi to clarify.

"I heard my Leader of the Opposition yesterday on TV saying that they want to assassinate him and am not comfortable with [it]," he said.

However, Speaker Among dismissed the claims and directed Mr Mugema to sit down, saying she cannot entertain "baseless claims".

"Who can kill the Leader of the Opposition? Stop playing in the gallery! Who is Ssenyonyi?" Among said.

Mr Ssenyonyi did not get opportunity to clarify on the matter. The Nile Post has sought his response on the allegations.

This is not the first time allegations of assassination attempts have surfaced on the floor of the 11th parliament.

But the last time it was Speaker Among claiming that her life was in danger although at the time it was not treated as "playing in the gallery".

Before Ms Among, MP Connie Galiwango, from Mbale, made alarms over her life being in danger and asked for more security.