Scuffles as Ugandan MPs debate Museveni
KAMPALA — Two Ugandan lawmakers were dragged away and detained when they tried to enter parliament yesterday, as a divisive debate on extending President Yoweri Museveni’s rule was marred by violence for a second day.
Police blocked some legislators from entering the building, and live television footage showed two of them being driven away in security vehicles.
Both oppose the bill that would remove an age cap of 75 years on presidential candidates, thereby allowing Museveni to extend his 31-year rule of the oil-rich East African nation.
It was unclear why the lawmakers were detained, and police did not immediately respond to calls seeking comment.
The legislators blocked by police were attempting to enter parliament to serve court documents on House speaker Rebecca Kadaga, who was presiding over the debate.
The document called on her to appear in court at 2:00 PM in respect of “the irregular suspension of our members of parliament,” independent lawmaker Wilfred Niwagaba told a local television station minutes before he was detained.
Six MPs - all opposed to removal of the age cap - were suspended from parliamentary proceedings on Monday for alleged disorderly conduct and refusing to heed the speaker’s instructions.
A debate on the bill was adjourned for several hours on Tuesday after some legislators said soldiers had entered parliament.
Uganda’s next presidential election is scheduled for 2021.
Meanwhile, a Ugandan court on Tuesday released eight editors and directors of one of the country’s most popular newspapers, who were charged with treason last month, effectively stalling the tabloid’s operations.
The eight men - five directors and three editors - were arrested during a police raid on offices of the privately owned English-language Red Pepper and its local-language sister publications.
They were charged with treason over an article implicating President Yoweri Museveni in a plot to overthrow his Rwandan counterpart.
A Kampala court released the men on bail of 20 million Ugandan shillings each ($5 000).
“It has been a month of uncertainty for these journalists as they have been moved from one detention centre to another but to also their families that have endured this ordeal,” their lawyer Dickens Byamukama told AFP.
“It’s not only these (directors and editors) that have suffered but also the Red Pepper group’s readers that have not seen the papers on the streets since the police sealed off and took over the premises,” he added.
They will next appear in court on January 19.— AFP/Reuters.