The Leader of Opposition, Hon. Mathais Mpuuga maintains that the ongoing boycot of plenary proceedings by the Opposition still stands until all the demands regarding the gross human rights violations, including explaining the wherebouts of the 18 missing persons are given a proper response.
Addressing a press Conference at parliament today, the Leader of Opposition said the directives issued by the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Anita Among during yesterday’s plenary sitting are a diversion.
The LOP says that the Opposition boycott is supported by the Constitution and all the other laws and rules are subsidiary.
“This morning, I addressed the media in regard to the pronouncements made by the Rt Hon. Anitah Among – Speaker of Parliament_Uganda relating to the absence of the Opposition from Plenary.
“Our absence from the House is official because it was officially communicated. It’s the duty of Parliament’s presiding officers to consider how to treat official communication.
“I earlier communicated of a meeting we had in the Speaker’s chambers during which the regime’s Ministers of Defence, Security and Inter Affairs undertook to make a comprehensive response to each of the issues we raised. They had a time frame 30 days which elapsed last Sunday on 19th November 2023.
“At no one time are we going to return to Plenary without our demands being responded to. All we are waiting for is the date and time the regime will be ready to respond. “Hon. Mpuuga said.
“We received communication last week that they were unable to come with the statement because they had travelled out of the country for a security meeting. Do they want to tell us that when they travelled, did they flee into exile? Are they dead or were disappeared like The Missing 18? “LoP asked.
“Our demand of the Speaker is for to follow up on Parliament’s instructions to the Executive. We expect her to be neutral; an arbiter or referee whose duty is to demand that the Executive comes and answer. Other matters short of an answer are peripheral and we are not willing to be diverted into that.”Mpuuga added.
Mpuuga told the Opposition MPs not to be bothered by the travel restrictions for Non-Attendance of plenary sittings since they are remunerated fairly well as peoples representatives.
