Kadaga tells off minister over UPDF harassment

The Speaker of Parliament, Ms Rebecca Kadaga, has told off a minister who went to her office to warn her to stop criticising soldiers who had been accused of brutalising fishermen on account that she was spoiling the army’s image.
The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers were last year accused of torturing fishermen on Lake Victoria and other fishing communities during the operation to curb illegal fishing and bolster fish stocks in the waters.

However, President Museveni, while speaking in Nakasongola District, defended the army on the allegations, saying their operations on the lake were yielding fruit for the short period the soldiers had intervened.
“Last year when I complained about the harassment of Ugandans on Lake Victoria by the UPDF, there is a minister who came to my office and told me to stop talking about the army because I was spoiling their name. You can imagine someone coming to threaten the Speaker not to talk,” Ms Kadaga said during ecumenical prayers at Parliament yesterday.

She did not disclose the identity of the minister. Ms Kadaga said the minister told her that exposing the abuses by the army was also destroying the image of government.

Ms Kadaga said she will not get tired of exposing officials whether in or outside government who are corrupt or commit atrocities.
“I want to just tell Ugandans that I will continue speaking about corruption. As a leader in Uganda, we have no common agenda to commit atrocities. We have no common agenda to be corrupt. We have never made an agreement on these two issues,” the Speaker said.

Ms Kadaga said she will expose the corrupt regardless of which political party they belong to.

In a related development, the retired Anglican Bishop of North Kigezi Diocese, Dr Edward Muhima, in his sermon called for faithfulness and transparency among MPs if they are to champion accountability.
“If we are going to be accountable, we have to be faithful servants of this country,” Dr Muhima said.

Meanwhile, Ms Kadaga used the same occasion to warn people, especially Disc Jockeys “DJ’s” who are changing the national anthem.

She said it was wrong to only sing two stanzas of the national anthem but go ahead to sing three for the East African Community.

Ms Kadaga said the practice is illegal and an offence under the Constitution.
“I want to remind Ugandans that under Article 8 of the Constitution, you are obliged to honour the national anthem. Unfortunately, people are taking it for granted. In the laws of Uganda, it is an offence to ridicule, insult or in any way disparage the symbols of Uganda,” she said.

The prayers were part of the 3rd Annual Parliament week which is running under the theme “championing accountability to improve service delivery.”

During this week, Parliament will exhibit the works of MPs and staff, people will also get to meet their legislators. Thereafter, there will be the public parliament where ordinary citizens take up the chambers and hold a debate on various topics.