OPINION: Who will tell Zaake that Parliament isn't a cinema hall?

By Sam Evidence Orikunda 

I have watched in dismay the video of MP Zaake Francis causing drama in parliament demanding for what he called "Abducted NUP supporters".

This is not the first time MP Zaake Francis behaves same way on the floor of Parliament and I think he is always seeking attention from both the media, the public and the international community.

For a person to be elected member of Parliament, I believe he should know how to conduct himself before the public. That person should be know how to express himself before his colleagues in case he is dissatisfied with the deliberations.

What would Zaake have lost by listening to the deputy Speaker of Parliament who is presiding officer who wanted to guide him?

His response in ignoring the speaker and resorting to dramatics was for the sake of capturing media attention.

I think and I feel that MP Francis Zaake is surely in a wrong place, based on how he has been behaving for the few years he has been in parliament.

During the age limit removal debate, Zaake and his leader Robert Kyagulanyi instigated violence in the chamber of parliament. That episode forced the army to swing in to restore order and protect parliament.

It seems they enjoyed that game and they would want to continue doing so.

Similarly, recently at the UN committee of human rights, two women donning NUP t-shirts stormed chambers of the UN committee in protest and made noise interfering with the proceedings of the committee.

They were later detained by police and the chairperson of the committee made an apology to Ugandans.

Soon the people will know that these events are pre-planned as the deputy speaker Tayebwa said in his remarks. These amateur politicians are always looking for political capital to fool Ugandans who they think are gullible.

At the NUP headquarters, people have been paraded and seen holding placards with the images of some individuals who they say are missing.

Recently, the country was shocked when one of the people carried the image of Eric Omondi a comedian in Kenya also demanding where he is, that he is among those who have been abducted .

This was a clear indication that some of those images are doctored with an intention to appeal to the public and the foreign funders that so many supporters of NUP are missing.

Zaake should also explain to the public why only selected few people are picked up by the security and not all the supporters.

He should be kind enough to inform the gullible supporters that the people who are picked up by security honestly have cases to answer and the state will always account for all the people who are arrested.

If anybody wants to remain free and enjoying all his rights, they should not involve themselves in any acts of criminality or any act that demeans or disrespects the government in power in a manner which is illegal or not recognised by the law.

The government and the security forces would look useless if they didn't deal with the individuals who involve themselves in criminal acts.

Nobody wins presidency through drama.

One must first of all get ideas and sell those ideas to the public. If the people buy those ideas, they will support that individual and that person will obviously get the mandate of the people and be voted into power.

What NUP leaders are doing is simply seeking public sympathy and trying to win the attention of the foreign funders.

Good enough, in Uganda we have opposition politicians who have never collided with security forces not because they're pro government but because they're disciplined and principled. People like Gen Mugisha Muntu have been in opposition for many years but you can never hear them colliding with police or causing drama anywhere. Those who are obsessed with violence have nicknamed them "moles".

MP Zaake Francis should be helped and be told that parliament isn't a cinema hall.

He should also be reminded that the cardinal role of being in parliament is to represent the issues of the people of Mityana Municipality who he represents in parliament.

I have never heard Zaake take up the microphone to speak for the people he represents. I do not know if he solved all their issues so that he can now focus on being a celebrated drama actor at the floor of the parliament of Uganda?

And if he has not done enough for the people of Mityana Municipality, if at all those people still have problems with the government programs and service delivery then Zaake should be reminded that he is betraying the people who elected him member of Parliament.

Government through parliament pays MP Zaake for that particular job of representing the people of his constituency and when a person is paid he should do what he is meant to do, if the person doesn't do so then he should either resign or return the money.

The writer is a deputy RDC Sheema District