The speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among has threatened to invoke parliamentary rules of procedures of the boycotting opposition legislators whose absence in parliament is prolonged.
However, the opposition is not bothered by the new development saying they officially wrote to the speaker about their absence. The government has promised to respond to opposition demands on 21st November.
Rule 112 (6) of the rules of procedure of parliament provides that Except with the permission of the Speaker, a Member shall not absent himself or herself from fifteen or more sittings of the House during any period when the House is continuously meeting. While chairing the house today, the speaker of parliament Anita Among threatened that she will be forced to invoke this rule on the boycotting opposition legislators if they don’t rescind their stance on the boycott.
Among noted that it doesn’t make sense for opposition members of parliament to keep outside the chambers yet they have a big platform on the floor of the house to address their grievances.
However, the speaker announced that the government will be ready on 21st November to present a comprehensive statement on issues of human rights violations which form the cause of their house boycott.
Upon receiving this information, the Chief Opposition Whip John Baptist Nambeshe rebuked the speakers’ pronouncements saying parliament is aware of their boycott since the leader of the opposition has been in constant communication with the speaker over their absence.
The shadow attorney general Wilfred Nuwagaba explained that the interpretation of the rules by the speaker is a departure from reality. He allayed the fears of his colleagues.
So far the opposition has missed over five sittings while on the boycott in protest of the continued disappearance of their supporters among other issues. Nambeshe insists that nothing will deter them from advocating for what they believe is right.
