News
Our Boycott continues: Mpuuga Trashes Speaker’s Warning On Absenteeism Of Opposition MPs
By: Hason Mutunzi Bwambale
The Speaker of Parliament, Annet Among, has issued a warning to Members of Parliament who miss 15 consecutive plenary sittings, sparking controversy. The Leader of the Opposition, Mathias Mpuuga, contends that this warning primarily impacts Ministers like Kahinda Otafiire, asserting that opposition MPs, who have officially communicated their boycott in writing, are exempt from the Speaker’s admonition.
Mpuuga argues that their absence serves as an ongoing protest until their concerns are addressed, focusing on issues of transparency, accountability, and constitutional violations within the current administration.
In response to concerns from the Uganda Parliamentary Press Association (UPPA) about undermining their operations at parliament, Mathias Mpuuga clarified his stance. He stated, “When I referred to sections of the media, did I mean UPPA? The day I decide to criticize UPPA, I will explicitly state it. I am inviting the media to be sensitive to the issues at hand. My message was directed at those individuals, including editors who aren’t present here, but may be influencing the reporting of our activities. While you are doing an admirable job covering our proceedings, remember that you don’t make the final edits – others do. If I ever criticize UPPA, I will be unequivocal, inviting discussion, and then we can part ways,” affirmed Mathias Mpuuga.
