NRM to EC: Declare rebel MPs' seats vacant

Apr 18, 2013

NRM Secretary General, Amama Mbabazi has written to the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga informing her of the party decision to expel four vocal NRM MPs and suspension of another.

By Joyce Namutebi                                        

NRM Secretary General, Amama Mbabazi has written to the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga informing her of the party decision to expel four vocal NRM MPs and suspension of another.

 The Public Relations Manager, Hellen Kawesa said Wednesday that in the letter, a copy of which she brandished, that Mbabazi is asking the Speaker to inform the Electoral Commission that the “rebel” MPs’ positions had fallen vacant and that fresh elections be held.

  However, Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah who presided over Plenary Wednesday, while answering “a matter of national importance” raised by Kumi MP Patrick Amuriat (FDC) told the House he had not yet seen a copy of the letter.

  “As speaker, up to today (Wednesday) I haven’t yet received any communication relating to the subject matter raised by MP, Kumi,” Oulanyah said.

  He therefore said he could not rule on the matter before getting a copy of the formal communication on the matter.

At the start of the plenary session Amuriat sought guidance on the recent decision by NRM to expel from NRM "rebel" MPs Theodore Ssekikubo, Wilfred Niwagaba, Barnabas Tinkasimire, Mohammad Nsereko and suspending Vincent Kyamadidi.

But Government Chief Whip Kasule Lumumba interjected on a point of order; "Is the Honourable member in order to start debating what is in the party which he does not belong to?" she asked. She said NRM has its own internal mechanisms and these are still going on.

 However, Theodore Ssekikubo, one of the MPs whose dismissal was approved by the party Central Executive Committee Wednesday told the press that he had information that the Secretary General Mbabazi had already communicated to the speaker with copies to Oulanyah, the clerk to Parliament and to the electoral Commission about their dismissal.

"They are proceeding with it clandestinely. Wherever they take it, we shall find it," Ssekikubo said.

Earlier in the day, Kawesa who said she was also yet to receive the communication said Ssekikubo and the other MPs were still MPs. "No law bars them from being MPs, until courts of law advise,” she said.

On Tuesday three of the four NRM MPs, who were recommended for dismissal from their party, told a press conference at Parliament that they wrote to the Speaker calling for disciplinary action against the Prime minister and Secretary General, Amama Mbabazi for "breach" of their Parliamentary privileges and immunities.

 They want him together with government Chief Whip, Justine Kasule Lumumba referred to the rules, privileges and discipline committee of Parliament for action.

They addressed the joint press conference a day after Mbabazi announced the NRM Central Executive Committee on their suspension.

The MPs accuse the ministers of initiating and presiding over disciplinary proceedings against them because of their contribution during varioyus debates in Parliament, which they say constitutes "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 copied to the Speaker dated April 9.

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 on Tuesday to pay tribute to fallen minister, Dr. Stephen Mallinga.

"We are in Parliament and we still subscribe to NRM, but as human beings we cannot go on our knees and say receive us back. We have our own 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," Tinkasiimire said.

   He added 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.

  They rejected the findings and recommendations of the party disciplinary committee.

                                                               

                

 

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