Parliament acted like Amin over oil - Minister

Nov 21, 2011

Internal Affairs minister, Hillary Onek has accused parliament of acting like former President Dictator Idi Amin, the day resolutions on allegations of bribery in the oil sector were passed.

By Henry Mukasa and Henry Ssekanjakko
 
Internal Affairs minister, Hillary Onek has accused parliament of acting like former President Dictator Idi Amin, the day resolutions on allegations of bribery in the oil sector were passed.
 
Onek claimed that the accused ministers were subjected to mob justice when they were adjudged guilty before prosecution and the Speaker allowed debate to proceed basing on unverified documents.
 
“None of us has seen the papers and judgment is being passed on us. They don’t differ from Amin’s methods of work,” Onek stated. “Mob justice is a new culture in this parliament. It happened to me and no one wanted to listen to me. Everything was mob justice… the Speaker went on presiding over debate on documents that were fake,” he added.
 
The minister made the remarks before the Parliamentary committee on rules, privileges and discipline where he was witness in its probe whether  he (Onek) and Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi acted in contempt of the August House when the refused to step aside from their portfolios. 
 
Parliament on October 11 passed a resolution which among other things demanded that Onek, Mbabazi and Foreign Affairs minister, Sam Kutesa step aside as an adhoc committee investigates accusations that they took bribes from oil companies. Kutesa step aside due to a CHOGM-related case he is facing in court and now MPs are baying for Onek and Mbabazi’s blood saying by refusing to temporality vacate their offices they are in contempt of Parliament.
 
Onek, the Lamwo MP, asserted that parliament was acting disrespectful of the executive and not following a due process. “We are being prosecuted and going to be punished by the same house. I would resign from this parliament if that’s the method of work. I would not adopt that method of work if I was the Speaker,” he said.
 
Committee chairman, Fox Odoi and a member, Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi took exception of Onek’s attack on Parliament and comparison to the Amin era. “You cannot compare parliament to Amin’s regime. It was murderous and anti-people,” Muhwezi stated. However, Onek hit back that parliament was moving as if other arms of Government (executive and judiciary) don’t matter.
 
Asked why he had refused to resign to pave way for the parliamentary probe, Onek said parliamentary resolutions were advisory and not mandatory for the executive to comply with. “I don’t think when you refuse my advice I say, ‘you are in contempt of me,” he replied.
 
When the day’s lead counsel, Ken Lukyamuzi quoted article 79(2) of the Constitution as empowering parliament as the only authority that, “makes provisions that have the legal force of the law”, Onek said he declined to step aside “not to betray my friends.”
 
“My conscience was clear and I wanted to resign but politics is a team game. I have the appointing authority (President), my party, my voters and my own conscience,” the minister said.
 
Onek observed that since the allegations were made he has been carrying a “heavy burden” which has affected his family. “My son of Primary seven asked me, ‘why don’t you step aside.’ I told him, I am not alone in this war. I would betray by colleagues who told me not to step aside.”
 
“I am just carrying the burden of responsibility to my party and fighting against political victimization and maneuver,” Onek stated.  
 
When a record of parliament (Hansard) was read to him and tasked to explained why he had reneged on his promise to resign as soon as the probe committee was named, Onek answered he has since learnt opportunists were fighting the ruling party, NRM.
 
“I realized people wanted me to step aside so that they fight the Prime Minister alone.  When I saw some political opportunists come in I decided not to step aside. I didn’t want to be used as a tool,” he explained. 
 
“This is a fight. I am not used to defeat. Amama Mbabazi is Prime Minister but also secretary general of our party. The opposition is using our members to destroy our party just like a hyena eats intestines when you pierce the stomach (of an animal). We (NRM) can eat our intestines thinking its mean.”
 
Even when parliament has powers to probe him, Onek insisted that the premise under which the resolutions were made was questionable. “You cannot simply invoke the laws to convict an innocent man. Laws are supposed to protect us to peacefully co-exist. Democracy doesn’t mean applying the laws the way you would wish.”
 
When reminded that the police he heads arrests suspects without evidence, Onek hit back that police acts on rumours but parliament has to be sophisticated using intellect in its functioning. “Police follows leads. I was not at the scene of crime,” Onek pleaded. It’s at this point that Simon Mulongo asked the minister whether the documents did not provide a lead and he answered, “They are fabrications.” “I don’t own an account anywhere in Dubai.”

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