My suspension is illegal - Zziwa

Kampala.
Ms Margaret Zziwa, who was suspended as Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala), claims her suspension is illegal.

The resolution to suspend Ms Zziwa was taken on Wednesday morning during an extraordinary sitting in Nairobi, Kenya, which Ms Zziwa says she was not informed about.

“I will not accept the suspension since the procedures have not been followed correctly. An extraordinary meeting cannot be organised without the awareness of the Speaker,” she told Daily Monitor.

The ordinary sitting was scheduled to 2pm at Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, but at 10am, an informal sitting without Ms Zziwa’s presence, was arranged at the same location.
Here, more than two-thirds of the assembly’s members voted in favour of the resolution to suspend the speaker for 21 days.
Ms Zzawi is determined to resume her post as soon as possible.

“As we speak, I am still at KICC setting up meetings. I have no intention to step down,” she said.

Since her election as Speaker, Ms Zziwa has been involved in several battles with other members most which were intended to remove her from her position.
In April, Mr Peter Mathuki, a Kenyan Eala representative, tabled a motion to impeach Ms Zziwa, accusing her of abuse of office, poor governance, and disrespect of members. The move collapsed when the Speaker ruled that the motion was short of requirements.

On Wednesday, Tanzanian MP Abdullah Mwinyi seconded the motion to suspend her and it was promptly passed.

During the sitting, the assembly also hastily elected Ugandan Chris Opoka-Okumu as new interim Speaker of the assembly.

Mr Mathuki said there were no irregularities during the suspension and that it was correct to hold the sitting without inviting her.

He referred to Rule 9 in the Eala Rules of Procedure, which says the Speaker shall not preside over the proceedings, when his or her removal is discussed.

During the suspension, the Legal Rules and Privileges Committees will complete investigations into her conduct. When the investigations are complete, the assembly will decide if Ms Zziwa can continue as Speaker or if she should be removed permanently.

Mr Opoka-Okumu refused to comment on how long he expects to hold this new position, but said he was honoured to be appointed.

Ugandan representative cites intrigue in suspension
According to Mr Fred Mukasa Mbidde, one of the supporters of Ms Zziwa, the suspension is part of a well-orchestrated plan.

“I would call it a coup d’état. Her suspension is a directive coming from further above, so it has been impossible to fight,” Mr Mbidde said.

Mr Mbidde, who in March successfully went to the East African Court of Justice to stop dissatisfied members from drafting a motion to censure the Speaker, said this time he will not take the matter to court.

“We are fighting too powerful actors in this case. I can only hope for the President of Uganda to intervene, but I’m not too optimistic,” he said.