MPs block election violence debate
Parliament yesterday threw out a motion to debate the long-awaited report of the select committee on election violence.
By James Odong
Parliament yesterday threw out a motion to debate the long-awaited report of the select committee on election violence.
The pre-mature adjournment of the House, came after Nakawa MP Fred Ruhindi questioned the wisdom of debating the report when some of the matters therein were before the courts of law.
Rising on a point of clarification, Ruhindi wondered whether it was correct to debate a report when some of its issues were before the courts.
Ruhindi said discussing the report would create conflict between the legislative and judicial arms of the state and asked the committee chairman, Augustine Nshimye, to explain how such conflicts would be resolved.
Defence minister Amama Mbabazi, whose case is still in the Court of Appeal and the Minister for general duties, Prof. Mondo Kagonyera, opposed the debate on the same grounds.
Nshimye’s response that the speaker, Edward Ssekandi, would use his discretion to restrain the House from discussing matters which he considered sub-judicial drew even sharper divisions among the legislators.
Appeals by Nsubuga Nsambu (Makindye west), Gasiano Wadri (Terego), Geoffrey Ekanya (Tororo), Alex Ndeezi (disability central) and James Mwandha (disability East) to have the report debated, fell on deaf ears.
Ssekandi said, “Now that the chairman of the committee has accepted that there are matters in the report that are subjudice, rule 53 which says no reference shall be made on matters before courts, is applicableâ€.
“Let us keep the debate pending until such matters before courts are handled,†Ssekandi ruled before adjourning the House to today.
Parliament yesterday threw out a motion to debate the long-awaited report of the select committee on election violence.
The pre-mature adjournment of the House, came after Nakawa MP Fred Ruhindi questioned the wisdom of debating the report when some of the matters therein were before the courts of law.
Rising on a point of clarification, Ruhindi wondered whether it was correct to debate a report when some of its issues were before the courts.
Ruhindi said discussing the report would create conflict between the legislative and judicial arms of the state and asked the committee chairman, Augustine Nshimye, to explain how such conflicts would be resolved.
Defence minister Amama Mbabazi, whose case is still in the Court of Appeal and the Minister for general duties, Prof. Mondo Kagonyera, opposed the debate on the same grounds.
Nshimye’s response that the speaker, Edward Ssekandi, would use his discretion to restrain the House from discussing matters which he considered sub-judicial drew even sharper divisions among the legislators.
Appeals by Nsubuga Nsambu (Makindye west), Gasiano Wadri (Terego), Geoffrey Ekanya (Tororo), Alex Ndeezi (disability central) and James Mwandha (disability East) to have the report debated, fell on deaf ears.
Ssekandi said, “Now that the chairman of the committee has accepted that there are matters in the report that are subjudice, rule 53 which says no reference shall be made on matters before courts, is applicableâ€.
“Let us keep the debate pending until such matters before courts are handled,†Ssekandi ruled before adjourning the House to today.