The Leader of the Opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi, has criticised authorities over the arrest of three Members of Parliament (MPs) belonging to the National Unity Platform (NUP) celebration.
Hon. Hassan Kirumira, (Katikamu County South), Hon. Charles Tebandeke (Bbale County) and Hon. Francis Zaake, (Mityana Municipality) along with a number of members of the NUP celebration had been arrested on Monday, 22 July 2024.
They had been detained on allegations of holding an illegal meeting.
Ssenyonyi, who raised the matter throughout the plenary sitting on Tuesday, 23 July 2024 chaired by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, stated that the arrest was unwarranted for the reason that MPs had been on their approach to the NUP celebration headquarters in Makerere, Kavule, to attend a weekly press convention.
“It could be an excellent factor for presidency to assist us perceive the seeming double requirements, as a result of a number of different political entities hold working however for some, it doesn’t get to occur,” Ssenyonyi stated.
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanjja defined that the MPs had been arrested in accordance with Articles, 23 and 4(b) of the structure; safety of private liberty and restraint, upon cheap suspicion; respectively.
“Government is charged with the duty to care for safety of individuals and their property, it’s beneath that, that a few of our colleagues are beneath detention. They will undergo the authorized course of and if discovered harmless, they are going to be launched,” Nabbanja stated.
Hon. Gorreth Namugga (NUP, Mawogola County South), nonetheless stated that the heavy deployment on the NUP celebration headquarters ought to have been used to maintain peace to permit the press convention to go on.
“I used to be mistreated; I agree with the submission of the Prime Minister that the Police detected crime, however they’d have been the identical pressure used to maintain peace. You would have guided us properly and stored us in the home,” stated Namugga.
Attorney General, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, guided that commenting on issues earlier than court docket is sub-judice and a disservice to the suspects.
“Whereas the opposition could take a look at every part with suspicion, allow us to maintain the Police accountable however enable them to work,” he stated.
