Police charge Parliament intruders with trespass, malicious damage

Police in Kampala have said the two intruders who disrupted Parliament proceedings yesterday will be charged with three counts of criminal trespass, malicious damage and interrupting House business.
Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson, Mr Patrick Onyango on Thursday told journalists that Charles Mutaasa Kafeero and Datala Senjako are still in custody and police have already recorded their statements.

One is detained at Jinja road police station and the other at Central Police Station, Kampala as detectives piece their evidence together before they are arraigned in the courts of law.
Mr Onyango, however, downplayed fears that security at Parliament is and was not compromised.
“They used the normal security check and entered as harmless visitors only to disrupt House business. We are soon presenting their file to the state attorney for perusal and they will probably appear at City Hall Court soon,” Mr Onyango said.

How it happened
Business in the House came to a standstill at about 4:15pm Wednesday when two suspicious people jumped from the visitors’ gallery to disrupt Parliament’s afternoon proceedings, putting Parliament’s security to a test.
The incident happened during a plenary session chaired by Speaker Rebecca Kadaga as MPs debated a statement by the State Minister for Lands, Ms Persis Namuganza, on land information systems international conference due to take place on February 20 and 21.
Maracha East MP James Acidri was making his submission on the floor when the two men jumped into the parliamentary chamber.

The first one jumped off from the visitors’ gallery to the side of the entrance of the MPs on the ruling side.
The second man then jumped over as the House went into panic, with some MPs screaming for help.
“You cannot be here discussing corruption,” one of the men, dressed in a blue shirt and a red cap, shouted. Another was carrying a heap of leaflets that fell to the floor.
On the leaflets, the attackers identified themselves as Charles Mutasa Kafeero and Senjako Dafala.

All MPs, including ministers rose on their feet to find out what had happened due to a loud bang, bringing down florescent tubes that provide light to the chambers.
Parliament staff donned in white attire swung into action and moved forward to protect the Speaker, who remained seated.
At that moment, the police officers, who sit in the gallery rushed down stairs to arrest the two men that were being fought by the MPs.
The staff were assisted by MPs among them State Minister for Sports Denis Hamson Obua, Mr Simon Oyet (Nwoya) and Brig Flavia Byekwaso (UPDF), who muscled the men as they kept shouting.
Ms Naome Kibaaju (Sheema North) fell off her seat and was assisted to by her fellow MPs to get to her feet. She later moved out of the chambers.

After rejecting the pleadings by Dokolo District Woman MP Cecilia Ogwal to have the House suspended until there was an explanation to what had happened, Ms Kadaga decided to recall Mr Acidri to complete his submission.
She, however, warned that it is an offence to disrupt business of Parliament, adding that those who jumped off the gallery were already culprits.
“If you want to be dramatic, the National Theatre is here,” the Speaker said.
“I just want to warn the public that we shall deal with you very severely,” Ms Kadaga added.

Parliament later released a statement indicating that “police were interrogating the two strangers to establish their motive and is also carrying out further investigations.”
Parliament also dismissed reports that that there were gunshots fired or heard in the House.
“The noise heard was as a result of the breakage of the glass cover of one of the tube lightings,” the statement read.
In the message on the leaflets, the attackers said they were dissatisfied with the processes of electing leaders in the country, which they claimed is marred by manipulation, political persecution, torturing of opponents and arbitrary arrests, among others.

The group listed President Museveni, among the other African leaders, that have clinged onto power for using forceful means by deploying the military to frustrate the opponents.
“One of the hallmarks of African dictatorships is the naked pursuit of indefinite tenures called life presidencies. Presidents like Museveni, Paul Biya (Cameroon), Denis Sassou Nguesso (Republic of Congo), Mubarak (former President of Egypt), Gadhafi (RIP, former Libyan President), Mugabe (RIP, former President of Zimbabwe) and the like fake with or ignored national constitutions and used state resources and militaries to cement their hold on power,” reads part of the write-up.

Intruders’ message

In the leaflets carried by the intruders, the group warned that Uganda is being governed on force and sectarianism, hence calling for a country where services are delivered on merit.
“We need a new Uganda ruled on merit and not relationship with the President to define one’s success and careers. We need a new start in Africa where leaders are accountable servants and ordinary people,” the group states.
They also suggested to the public to isolate the 317 MPs that voted in favour of the removal of the Presidential Age Limit during the Constitutional Amendment process that saw Article 102(b) was removed.