Corridors of power
Sep 05, 2011
<b>Ken asks Katongole</b><br>PARLIAMENT last week was a theatre of drama. Rubaga South MP Ken Lukyamuzi clashed with the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah.
Ken asks Katongole
PARLIAMENT last week was a theatre of drama. Rubaga South MP Ken Lukyamuzi clashed with the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah. On seeing Rubaga North MP Singh Katongole entering the parliamentary chambers, Lukyamuzi inquired if he required a Punjabi interpreter. His comments were in reference to demands by Katongole for a translator during his election petition in court. While the comments threw other MPs into laughter, Oulanyah was not amused and demanded that Lukyamuzi withdraw the ‘sectarian’ statement or be thrown out. Lukyamuzi tried to resist but seeing Oulanyah was not budging, he softened and withdrew the statement, "due to public interest". There was more laughter from the MPs.
Baba Diri can see
Even though she is officially blind, former MP for persons with disabilities, Margaret Baba Diri can see. At least that is what she told fellow MPs recently. Many MPs wanted to contribute to the debate on the teachers’ salaries but the time allocated to the general debate was only 30 minutes. When at last Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah chose Baba Diri to make her contribution, she said: “Honourable Speaker thank you for seeing me at last even though I have been seeing you all along,†she said causing fellow MPs to wonder whether a miracle had happened and the legislators’ sight had been restored.
Gerald the orator
Former Makerere University Guild president Gerald Kararuhanga and now Western Youth MP is an orator. He stunned fellow MPs when he rose up to speak on the closure of Makerere University. He said: “Mr. Speaker Sir, I don’t know whether I can still refer to myself as a former guild president of Makerere University because it has been closed and I don’t know whether it will be opened again. It is important to note that Makerere University is the epitome of academic excellence, the pinnacle of research and cradle of everyone here. I was a guild president at Makerere but now I cannot stand here and say it proudly.†This prompted the Speaker to say:“Oh, what a nice speech to end debate.†The MPs had been discussing issues affecting the education sector.
Vibrant Bitekyerezo
Although there are microphones in the parliamentary chambers to help MPs capture their contribution in the Hansard (official records of parliament), Mbarara Municipality MP Medard Bitekyerezo thinks his voice is audible enough. Recently, Buyaga West MP Barnabas Tinkasiimire had to move the microphone around to enable Bitekyerezo speak.
This was because being a vibrant orator, Bitekyerezo was moving from one position to another ignoring the microphone which prompted fellow MPs to shout: “Microphone†because they could not hear him.
PARLIAMENT last week was a theatre of drama. Rubaga South MP Ken Lukyamuzi clashed with the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah. On seeing Rubaga North MP Singh Katongole entering the parliamentary chambers, Lukyamuzi inquired if he required a Punjabi interpreter. His comments were in reference to demands by Katongole for a translator during his election petition in court. While the comments threw other MPs into laughter, Oulanyah was not amused and demanded that Lukyamuzi withdraw the ‘sectarian’ statement or be thrown out. Lukyamuzi tried to resist but seeing Oulanyah was not budging, he softened and withdrew the statement, "due to public interest". There was more laughter from the MPs.
Baba Diri can see
Even though she is officially blind, former MP for persons with disabilities, Margaret Baba Diri can see. At least that is what she told fellow MPs recently. Many MPs wanted to contribute to the debate on the teachers’ salaries but the time allocated to the general debate was only 30 minutes. When at last Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah chose Baba Diri to make her contribution, she said: “Honourable Speaker thank you for seeing me at last even though I have been seeing you all along,†she said causing fellow MPs to wonder whether a miracle had happened and the legislators’ sight had been restored.
Gerald the orator
Former Makerere University Guild president Gerald Kararuhanga and now Western Youth MP is an orator. He stunned fellow MPs when he rose up to speak on the closure of Makerere University. He said: “Mr. Speaker Sir, I don’t know whether I can still refer to myself as a former guild president of Makerere University because it has been closed and I don’t know whether it will be opened again. It is important to note that Makerere University is the epitome of academic excellence, the pinnacle of research and cradle of everyone here. I was a guild president at Makerere but now I cannot stand here and say it proudly.†This prompted the Speaker to say:“Oh, what a nice speech to end debate.†The MPs had been discussing issues affecting the education sector.
Vibrant Bitekyerezo
Although there are microphones in the parliamentary chambers to help MPs capture their contribution in the Hansard (official records of parliament), Mbarara Municipality MP Medard Bitekyerezo thinks his voice is audible enough. Recently, Buyaga West MP Barnabas Tinkasiimire had to move the microphone around to enable Bitekyerezo speak.
This was because being a vibrant orator, Bitekyerezo was moving from one position to another ignoring the microphone which prompted fellow MPs to shout: “Microphone†because they could not hear him.