Expelled NRM MPs petition Kadaga, snub verdict

By Joyce Namutebi            

Three of the four NRM Members of Parliament, who were expelled from party, say they petitioned the Speaker calling for disciplinary action against the Prime Minister and Secretary General, Amama Mbabazi for "breach" of their privileges and immunities.

Also targeted together with Mbabazi is the Government Chief Whip, Justine Kasule Lumumba, both of whom they want referred to the rules, privileges and discipline committee of Parliament for action.

Theodore Ssekikubo, Wilfred Niwagaba and Barnabas Tinkasimire addressed a joint press conference at Parliament Buildings Tuesday, a day after Mbabazi announced a decision by the NRM Central Executive Committee to uphold the recommendations of the National disciplinary Committee on five vocal NRM MPs.

They accuse the ministers of initiating and participating in disciplinary proceedings against them because of what they said during debate in Parliament, which they said is an affront on their privileges and immunities as provided in the Parliament (powers and privileges) Act.

They said that on November 30, 2012 and again on February 1, 2013 Lumumba wrote to Mbabazi complaining that during the budget debate of September 25, 2012 the MPs "denounced the position of NRM and participated in a press conference accusing the NRM government for having bribed legislators to pass the health budget."

"The two above named members are subject to the Rules of Procedure of Parliament and in our view have violated our privileges and immunities and further acted in contempt of Parliament," the MPs said in their letter dated April 9 said.

They prayed that appropriate sanctions be imposed on the two ministers as provided for in the parliament rules. It was not clear whether the Speaker received their petition.

Despite insistence by NRM that they must leave Parliament, the three MPs attended Parliament when MPs were paying tribute to fallen minister, Dr. Stephen Mallinga.

"We are in Parliament and we are still subscribing to NRM, but as human beings we cannot go on our knees and say receive us back. We have a full identity as MPs," Ssekikubo said.

He challenged Mbabazi to say that they were no longer MPs. "I challenge him whether he has any right to stop us from sitting in our places."

They clarified that they were not elected by their party alone to come to Parliament, but also by their constituents. "He (Mbabazi) can't defranchise the Ugandans who elected us," Tinkasimire said.

He added that they are MPs who uphold the principle in Article 1 of the Constitution adding that they are ready to move to another political level although during this period the law allows them to remain where they are.

Without elaborating he said that in 2016 they will be at another political level.

During the press conference they said they had not received any communication from Mbabazi on their dismissal from NRM. They rejected the findings and recommendations of the party disciplinary committee.

"We reject the purported NRM disciplinary proceedings and findings against us since they were conducted in  fragrant breach of the NRM Constitution itself, the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda," Ssekikubo said.

"We totally reject the charge of being engaged in the formation of cliques within NRM and engaging in intrigue."