Tensions in Parliament escalated on Tuesday as Member of Parliament for Aringa South Yorke Alioni, publicly accused his Speaker Anita Among of failing to respect court rulings and Parliamentary procedures.
In a passionate but hard-core plea before the House which was presided over by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, Alioni demanded an explanation for the Speaker’s refusal to place the service award petition on the order paper, which has the backing of signatures from 186 members of Parliament, representing constituencies with a combined total of 4.6 million voters.
“It must be on record that 186 members of parliament who appended their signatures represent constituencies. And I want to give you the to this House that each one of us has a minimum of eligible voters of 25,000 and if you check the 186 that’s equivalent to about 4.6 million voters in this country who can determine a vote of a president…” he said.
The petition in question, which aims to address allegations of misconduct involving four Parliamentary Commissioners over a Shs1.7Bn Service Award, has met all necessary conditions, according to Alioni. However, Speaker Among has reportedly delayed its discussion, prompting frustration among MPs.
“Rt Hon Speaker, we are begging for your indulgence to be on record,” Alioni stated. “Our petition, which has met all the conditions, cannot be rubbished the way the Speaker is trying to do. It should be debated. We are not 100 percent sure that we are going to win, but we need to be heard.”
Alioni criticized Speaker Among’s neutrality in handling the matter, referencing a previous incident in Gulu where the Speaker had assured MPs that their concerns would be addressed in Parliament. He now claims the Speaker is avoiding the issue.
“Why are you not being neutral? What is the problem with the speaker Anita Among? We demand for our petition to be heard on this floor of Parliament.
You are not going to let down Ugandans. You are not going to let down the institution of Parliament in this country. You are not going to do this. We are not ready to witness this in history. When we were in Guru, the Speaker, Anita Among made it clear that don’t bring you manyanga, here. We shall handle your matter in parliament in Kampala. Where is she today? We’ve been have been waiting to face her here. Where is she, why is she running away? We need this matter to be debated. We need this matter to be debated.”
Alioni questioned, emphasizing the importance of the debate for Ugandans and the institution of Parliament.
Alioni’s grievances extend beyond the current petition. He pointed to the Speaker’s alleged disregard for a court ruling that called for the reinstatement of Francis Zaake, MP for Mityana Municipality, to the Parliamentary Commission. Despite the court’s decision, Zaake remains excluded from the Commission, a move that Alioni claims demonstrates Speaker Among’s disregard for the judiciary and parliamentary procedures.
“With the proper interpretation of various court rulings, take an example the one of Zaake where the Court ruled that he should be reinstated to the Parliamentary Commission. It is this same Parliament, led by Anita Among, who disrespected the Court ruling and locked him out until today,” Alioni stated.
The accusations have sparked significant debate within political circles, with some lawmakers supporting Alioni’s call for transparency and adherence to the rules of Parliament. Others have expressed concern that the Speaker’s actions could undermine the credibility of both Parliament and the judicial system.
Meanwhile, the issue of the service award petition highlights ongoing divisions within Uganda’s legislative body, as MPs like Alioni push for accountability and fairness, while concerns mount over the impartiality of Speaker Anita Among’s leadership. Nevertheless, as Parliament awaits further developments, the demand for a debate on the petition and the future of parliamentary governance in Uganda remains a contentious issue.
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