Mapenduzi defends motion to censure Zaake

The MP for Bardege-Layibi Division in Gulu City, Mr Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, has defended his decision to move the motion that censured Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake from the Parliamentary Commission.

“I have seen the level of interest in this motion but this is not my first time to move a motion and  it is successfully debated and adopted by Parliament. Unfortunately, sometimes people are emotional and miss the point. I respect and understand people’s opinions, but we should not run away from the main thing,” Mr Mapenduzi said in an interview on Dembe FM.
He said he moved the motion on the principles of general conduct of legislators.

“This motion has nothing to do with the NUP party. This motion is purely about the conduct of an individual which is not in line with the rules of procedure. When Zaake made the statements, he did not make them on behalf of NUP,” Mr Mapenduzi, an Independent, said.  “When some people are beginning to relate this to NUP, that’s being diversionary. I also think there are people who have their own agenda to either discredit NUP or to create a rift between NUP and myself and other people and I am not interested in that,” he added.

Mr Zaake is accused of abusing the person of the Deputy Speaker, Ms Anitah Among, on Twitter.
Last week, Mr Mapenduzi moved a motion under Section 5 of the Administration of Parliament Act to remove Mr Zaake from the Commission.
In a secret ballot, 155 MPs voted to remove Mr Zaake from the Commission while four MPs voted against the proposal and two invalid votes were registered.
However, Mr Mapenduzi has been on the spot for moving a motion against a member of a party that he aligns with.
The NUP party has since appointed the legislator as the chairperson of the Local Governments Accounts Committee in Parliament.
Addressing journalists last week, the Leader of Opposition in Parliament,  Mr Mathias Mpuuga, said they would give Mr Mapenduzi time to establish the comfort within which he can operate.

“We are alive to the fact that he is a trapped man, when a colleague is trapped, you accord him time to disentangle himself out of the confusion. At the right moment, we shall be able to establish whether he has found his way and if not we shall guide him,” said Mr Mpuuga.
However, Mr Mapenduzi said his appointment to a key committee does not remove from him the responsibility of being an MP.

READ: Cracks in Opposition armour as Zaake is ejected from House job

“Are you trying to say if I am appointed by NUP, I should now abandon my responsibility as an MP? If you have followed me during my time as Gulu LC5, I do my things without fear and favour, I do things objectively,” he said.
Mr Zaake has since set up a team of lawyers led by Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago to challenge the decision in court.
Ms Among gave him a week to apologise and for the Opposition to propose another name.