Petition to censure Muhwezi
The Leader of Opposition in Parliament Hon Mathias Mpuuga is leading a petition render Minister of Security, Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi unfit for office.
The LOP says they have on Thursday launched a petition in which a total of 176 MPs are expected to append their signatures disapproving the manner in which security forces are handling civilians under the watch of the Minister. By Thursday afternoon over 20 legislators in Parliament had reportedly signed the petition.
Among them include ;Buhweju County MP Francis Mwijukye, Mityana Woman MP Joyce Bagala, Kassanda Woman MP Flavia Kalule Nabagabe, Soroti East Division MP Moses Attan, Kassanda North MP Patrick Nsamba, Amuru Woman MP Lucy Akello,Opposition Chief Whip, John Baptist Nambeshe among others.
“We are petitioning Parliament to have the Minister for security censored for his diabolical performance as a Minister. There are people who have been asking us why security?,Why not Defence or Internal Affairs those answers lie with us, We shall decide whether we want to censure the whole bench but we start with the Security Minister.”Mpuuga explained
Petition to censure Muhwezi
Mpuuga announced the development on Tuesday . He stated that Opposition would move a motion in Parliament censoring the Security Minister over several discrepancies in security circles under his watch.
“I laid documents in Parliament in his presence over torture, forced disappearances, murders and he did not respond. We have resolved to invoke rule 109 of our Rules of Procedure and Article 118 of the Constitution to censure the Minister of Security,”he stated on Tuesday.
Motions to censure Mps dont come as a surprise to Uganda, however, if it will be a surprise if they are successful. In 2013, during the 9th Parliament, a motion to censure the former Minister for Kampala Frank Tumwebaze hit a snag after only 20 MPs signed out of the required 125 .
Similary another motion against former Security Minister, Gen. Elly Tumwine over contempt of Parliament failed after MPs refused to participate.
Currently the 11TH Parliament has 529 Legislators, of these NRM has 316 MPs , Independents 73, NUP 61, FDC 28, UPC 10, DP 9, PPP 1
On Thursday last week, Opposition in Parliament announced a two weeks boycott of plenary over injustices against citizens. The MPs stormed out of the house and sat on the stairs leading up to the parliament entrance chanting: “We want freedom” “Free our people”.
Addressing the media, Mpuuga confirmed that they have “excused” themselves in protest against the continued illegal arrests, torture, and killings across the Country.
