Kira Municipality MP Ssemujju Nganda has raised concerns about President Museveni's ongoing absence from important international meetings that he previously attended.
His inquiry was sparked by Speaker Among's announcement that Uganda is being represented by Vice President Jessica Alupo at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa.
Ssemujju pointed out several significant meetings that the President has missed, opting instead to send representatives, including the recent United Nations General Assembly.
"We had the United Nations General Assembly recently, and the President was represented by the Vice President, we had a meeting in China, and again, our President was represented, and you have just said even for Commonwealth," Ssemujju said.
Ssemujju speculated that the President's absence might be due to health issues and called for him to undergo a health checkup.
"I need to ask, this Parliament may not have taken it seriously, the need to check on the health of our President because of his age. All these important meetings that he has been attending traditionally, he now can’t attend, and you are saying order,” noted Ssemujju amidst heckling from some MPs.
The speaker, however, questioned the concern surrounding President Museveni's health, stating that his choice to delegate responsibilities to other officials is a result of having a Deputy.
She noted that she, too, has a Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, who leads the plenary sessions.
“That is the benefit of having a Deputy, why don’t you complain when my Deputy is chairing here? I mean you delegate, and as far as I know, President Museveni may be even healthier than some of us.
We passed Rules here that we can participate virtually and I have always seen Janet Kataha online, even now, she is online if you want to see. If we have issues on Education, she will address us on education,” Among said.