The Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LOP), Joel Ssenyonyi, has demanded that the Speaker of Parliament, Annet Anita Among, disclose the identity of people who attacked Members of Parliament (MPs) during the altercation on November 6, 2024.
Ssenyonyi made these remarks on November 13, 2024, during an interview with the local radio station where he was overheard tasking the Speaker to explain why she suspended the 12 MPs and demanded the disclosure of the identity of the plain-clothed men who were witnessed assaulting them.
“During the raid on parliament, we saw female Members of Parliament being roughed up by men. This is despicable, and we are demanding answers regarding what transpired. We are concerned that these were security operatives; otherwise, who would access parliament with all the deployment there?“ Senyonyi said.
According to him, opposition MPs were physically lifted out of parliament after they had been suspended.
Read Also: LOP Ssenyonyi Vows to Fight Back on Coffee Bill
Ssenyonyi also condemned the violence displayed during the passing of the contentious National Coffee Amendment Bill 2024, during which certain MPs and journalists were harassed, and he demanded answers from the Speaker of Parliament.
Ssenyonyi demanded President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to verify his claims that the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) was giving seedlings only to opposition MPs and leaving out their NRM counterparts.
Read Also: LOP Tasks Speaker Among to Withdraw from UCDA Bill
The LOP’s request for transparency highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding the coffee legislation and raises questions about security measures within the parliamentary premises. As the situation unfolds, many are awaiting Speaker Among’s response to these serious allegations of violence against elected officials.