Video footage scrutinised as Zaake, Kinyamatama face off

A video reportedly showing Mityana Municipality lawmaker, Mr Francis Zaake making vile statements against another colleague took center stage during Thursday’s disciplinary probe conducted by Parliament’s Committee on Rules, Privileges, and Discipline.
The committee is currently probing Mr Zaake over allegations of a possible breach of the House’s code of conduct.

Ms Juliet Kinyamatama, the Rakai District Woman lawmaker last month accused Mr Zaake of defaming her at a rally in her constituency.
She claimed that Mr Zaake, while addressing a rally in Rakai District on October 9, demeaned her before her constituents with words so vile hat she was ashamed to repeat them on the floor of the House.
Deputy Speaker Mr Thomas Tayebwa referred the matter for a disciplinary hearing and expects the committee to provide a report on their findings and recommendations.

Kampala Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago who is representing Mr Zaake as his lawyer in the case pointed out that there were particulars from the video footage that have not been properly transcribed for the Hansard, which is Parliament’s official record containing parliament’s debate.
The Parliament Hansard team captured the contents of the video footage on October 12 when it was playing during a sitting presided over by Mr Tayebwa before the matter was referred to the committee.

 “There are things which are quite obvious even from the video footage here which we have not properly transcribed and since this is an inquiry, we would like this to be done perfectly so that we don’t have forth and back movements, for example, the name in the video is clear. The name mentioned here is Nalumansi Kyamatama and in this recording, we are seeing Kinyamatama. We want that to be corrected by whoever did the translation,” Mr Lukwago said.

Mr Zaake declined to offer clarification for the video footage by ascertaining whether he was the one making the remarks.
This was after the Committee chairperson Mr Abdu Katuntu (Bugweri County) asked him to make the verification before proceeding with the probe. 
Rather than respond to the question, Mr Lukwago asked the complainant on the matter to avail more evidence for the case.

“My client is ready to listen to the case being made out against him once the evidence is laid against him by the complainant,” Mr Lukwago said, adding, “He will respond to any question being put to him but before evidence is laid against him, he is protected by the Constitution not to make any self-incriminating statement.”
Ms Kinyamatama was also present in the proceedings and was represented by a legal team headed by Mr Edgar Tabaro. She will have her say on the matter on November 21. 

Background: Mr Zaake’s brush with the Rules Committee
The legislator has so far been referred to the Committee three times. The first time was when Speaker Anita Among on February 15, 2022 referred him for allegedly abusing her and the House on the social media platform site, X, formerly Twitter. 

He was found guilty of disrespecting her and subsequently, 155 lawmakers voted to remove him out as a member of the Parliamentary Commission, which among other things, recruits Parliament staff. Mr Zaake was stripped of the perks of a Parliamentary commissioner, a development that made him sue the House with the Constitutional Court which later quashed the resolution for his removal.
[email protected]