The opposition legislators on Wednesday, October 18, 2023, stormed out of parliament in protest after Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa had rejected a proposal to discuss the suspension of five legislators.
While chairing the plenary session, Tayebwa blocked MPs from discussing the Tuesday fracas, in which five opposition lawmakers were suspended.
During the Wednesday afternoon plenary session, Tayebwa also blocked members from accessing speaker’s chair except the Leader of Government Business, Leader of Opposition, and Government Chief Whip, plus those he would invite.
Deputy Speaker Tayebwa further blocked members from responding to his communication, ordered members to listen to each other in silence, enforced the rules on dress code, and stopped members from approaching the Speaker’s Chair.
He also blocked media houses, including NBS and NTV stations, from live streaming sessions until further notice.
“I want to make it clear that have not ordered for any security at parliament, and it isn’t necessary, there is nothing, that warranted that. I have received this note from the Sergeant-at-Arms that security being referred to outside Parliament is an area under Kampala Metropolitan Police, they have received information that rowdy groups of people were planning to come to parliament, I cannot have powers over issues outside Parliament,”said Tayebwa.
This attracted an angry response from opposition members, who immediately stormed out of the house.
Mathias Mpuuga, the Leader of Opposition, argued that without addressing Tuesday’s plenary ending and heavy security deployment, they are constrained to continue under the circumstances.
The group further complained about the decision to ban media houses from live streaming sessions and the heavy security deployment at parliament.
Led by Mpuuga, the members later held a brief press conference over the matter.
This is the second time within two weeks that opposition legislators are storming out of parliament in protest. Recently, they stormed out, protesting continued human rights violations.
