Kadaga suspends House over court injuction

Photos by Miriam Namutebi

Speaker Rebecca Kadaga has shot down attempts by the deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana to block parliament from discussing the 6 billion shillings oil bonus that was shared by over 40 government officials.

During the parliament sitting this evening, the speaker had granted Mbarara municipality MP Micheal Tusiime permission to move the motion allowing the legislators to discuss the issue under which the officials shared a bonus from the 428 million dollar reward the government got after winning a court settlement from Tullow oil back in 2014.

Rukutana raising on a point of procedure noted that the attorney general's office had been served with a court injunction on the issue from the constitutional court and therefore it was not in order for parliament to conduct a discussion on the matter.

However, Kadaga disregarded this point noting that her office had not been served with the court order and therefore, parliament is in order to continue with the discussion until the court order is received.

This position was further supported by the members of parliament who accused the judiciary of trying to interfere with their work.

Kadaga ordered Rukutana to immediately go back to court and have the injunction lifted and further adjourned parliament without a definite date of return until the injunction is lifted.