Kadaga orders MP Sabiti to face disciplinary committee

By Moses Mulondo and Joyce Namutebi

The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, has, for the second time, deferred debate on the controversial Marriage and Divorce Bill for more consultations and sensitisation of the citizens.

Kadaga told Parliament on Thursday that the MPs would make more consultations and sensitise the public about the Bill for three months and report back to Parliament

Justice and constitutional affairs minister Kahinda Otafiire had informed the House that his consultations in his constituency ignited mixed reactions, some portraying misinformation and ignorance about the content of the Bill.

“In my ministry, we discussed the reports from various parts of the country and agreed that we give it three more months for us to continue sensitising the public and other stakeholders about the Bill,” Otafiire.

Attempts by Kawempe North MP Latif Ssebagala to convince the Speaker to allow MPs give feedback from their constituencies were futile and the Speaker ruled that the Bill be put aside as requested by Otafiire.

Dokolo County MP Felix Okot sharply disagreed with Kadaga’s comments that even many of the MPs did not know the content of the Bill.

The Speaker also made a ruling on the request of Butambala MP Muwanga Kivumbi to shelve the Public Order Management Bill until his court case is disposed of.

Kadaga said since the courts had not started hearing the case and the fact that the case was filed when the Bill was already being debated, she could not stop the process of debating it.

She, however, advised that after the Bill has been passed, anyone would be free to challenge it in the courts of law.

The Speaker also ruled that Rukiga County MP Jack Sabiti should face the Parliament disciplinary committee over his rebellious conduct on Wednesday.

It happened that after the speaker rejected Sabiti’s procedural point of shelving the Public Order Management Bill, Sabiti continued speaking and standing yet the Speaker had ordered him to sit down.

However, Sabiti said he behaved that way because he is passionately opposed to the Bill.

“Well, I will tell the committee that things are going wrong in Parliament. I don’t know what she is accusing me of. I was just quoting the rules of procedure,” Sabiti said.