MPs insist on meeting with Museveni over security situation

Members of Parliament have resurrected their call to meet President Museveni over the prevailing security situation in the country.

Bukooli Central MP Solomon Silwany said they have been waiting for the President to address them since last year, in vain, yet episodes of insecurity continue to dominate news headlines.

“In around October last year, Parliament Speaker [Jacob] Oulanyah made a ruling requesting the President of Uganda to come and give us an update as Parliament, and [give us] a comprehensive update on the security situation in the country. Some of these insecurity incidences would have been sorted out because the roadmap of how things are going to be done [security] would be very clear to Parliament,” he said during a plenary on Thursday. 

Questions about security abide, occasioned by unexplained disappearances, arbitrary arrests, torture allegations, killings, and robberies, among other incidences.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, who said the members miss interacting with the President, appealed to Mr Museveni to make time for the legislators.

“It is not only Parliament that needs to know about the state of security in this country, and we would be pleased if what [Mr] Silwany is asking for [is considered].”

Relatedly, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Mr Mathias Mpuuga, tabled a statement on torture and human rights abuses, calling on fellow MPs to pay special attention to the issues to ensure the vice is decisively dealt with.

ALSO READ: A State of torture?

The Deputy Speaker referred the statement to Parliament’s Committee on Human Rights that has been investigating the same.

She ruled that the issue will be debated once the minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, and his Internal Affairs counterpart are in the House. 

Mr Mpuuga said the different statements tabled in regard to human rights violations must guide the country on a way forward to end the vice. 

Mr Mpuuga said he was considering moving a motion for a countrywide inquest into human rights abuses. 

“It is not about me presenting a statement here. I am trying to invite, along with the reports coming from the Committee on Human Rights, to generate a consensus on how this must stop in our time. I do not know what is going on is sections of our security [agencies], may be they need our help. We just want to make sure victims of torture, abduction get justice,” Mr Mpuuga said. 

ALSO WATCH: More voices call for an end to torture

Ms Among, who said torture should not be looked at from a partisan angle, had last week tasked government to print a list of all citizens that have been shot or tortured.

Last month, government distanced itself from torturing incarcerated suspects, whether government opponents, critics or criminals.

ALSO READ: Torture: We have learnt nothing from history

Government Chief Whip Thomas Tayebwa said consultations are on for the President to address the legislators.

“...the President has many issues to handle but he is very aware of the situation, and he will be updating parliament,” he said.