Nebanda: MPs raise 114 signatures to recall House

By Henry Sekanjako, Moses Walubiri and Paul Kiwuwa

With only  11 signatures left to raise the required  number of 125  signatures  to recall Parliament from recess , the  MPs collecting signatures to recall  the House  are about  to complete the signature hunt exercise  which started one week ago.

The MPs want Speaker Rebecca Kadaga to recall Parliament to enable them discuss the arrest of their colleagues among other related matters that emerged after the death of Butaleja district MP Cerinah Nebanda.

Kinkizi East MP Dr Baryomunsi was last week arrested and released on bail. Police also last week arrested Kampala central MP Mohammed Nsereko who was transferred to Tororo where he was released yesterday morning.

Other MPs like Dr Sam Lyomoki, Dr Medard Bitekyerezo, Theodore Ssekikubo and Betty Nambooze are wanted by the police for utterances regarding the mystery death of Nebanda but are still at large.

Addressing journalists at Parliamentary building Kampala, one of the petitioners Mathias Mpuuga (Masaka Municipality) said they had collected 114 signatures remaining with only 11 signatures.

 "Officially we have collected 114 signatures from various MPs and left with only 11, to petition the Parliament Speaker Rebecca Kadaga," said Mpuuga.

He added; "our biggest huddle is that most of the MPs had gone to the   rural areas, however, we appreciate, they have responded, to our call".

 Mpuuga however regretted that some of their colleagues had taken the petition in bad faith by sending them text messages asking MPs not to sign the petition.

Over the weekend, the acting NRM chief whip Rose Namayanja said there was no need to recall parliament from recess saying the intended petition to recall the house had a political hidden agenda.

However the petitioners have vowed to continue with collecting signatures and deliver their petition to speaker Kadaga to recall parliament from recess.

They said upon reaching the targeted 250 signatures, the petitioners will sit and harmonize their position on when to submit the signatures to the Speaker of parliament.  

Upon receiving the petition, the Speaker has 21 days within which to respond to the petitioners and convene Parliament.