Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee of Defence and Internal Affairs Judith Nabakooba has denied reports that the committee leadership lied to Parliament on the readiness of the report on the Kasese clashes of 2016.
Nabakooba who addressed journalists alongside her deputy Kezekiah Mbogo said they committee could not rush since the Kasese issues were sensitive.
They added that there was no report because the Attorney General had advised against the continued investigation as it was before court.
“We met the President as the Committee together with the Attorney General at the time and he advised that we put it on hold because the matter was still in court and we risked jeopardising the court case,” he said, adding that, “the President expressed his displeasure with the fact that the Speaker had allowed the matter to be discussed given its legal status.”
It should be noted that Parliament learnt that the report on the Kasese clashes that was to be presented by the Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs is not ready.
This revelation was made after the item was called on the Order Paper at the sitting of the House chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Jacob Oulanyah on Thursday, 11th January 2018.
Earlier on Tuesday, 16th January 2018, the Vice Chairperson of the Committee, Hon. Kezekia Mbogo, had informed the House that the report was ready for presentation to the House.
He was however, absent from the House when the report was supposed to be presented prompting Members of Parliament to raise concerns on his conduct.
The Deputy Speaker, Jacob Oulanyah however, said that by the time the matter was discussed in Parliament, it was not yet before court and therefore, investigation would have gone on.
Oulanyah also noted that Parliament was unable to discuss the report because it was not available as opposed to what the Vice Chairperson had promised.
“I initially put this matter on the Order Paper today because the Vice Chairperson had convinced me that the report was ready. I gave him the benefit of doubt; however, it is clear that it is not available and I will have to meet him for an explanation,” he said.
Hon. Angelina Ossege (Soroti District) asked the Deputy Speaker to subject the Vice Chairperson to disciplinary action for lying to the House about the status of the Report.
“Hon. Kezekia deliberately lied to this House by convincing the Deputy Speaker that the report was ready even when he knew otherwise; would it not be procedurally right for disciplinary action to be taken on the member?” she asked.
Oulanyah advised that they would meet with the Committee leadership to discuss the issue and task the Vice Chairperson for an explanation.
He added that the report will be discussed by Parliament if it is ascertained that the matter is no longer before court.
In 2016, the security forces raided the palace of the Rwenzururu kingdom killing eight royal guards and arresting two others.
The raid was in response to militant attacks on police posts in the region two weeks earlier, allegedly perpetrated by the royal guards.
Subsequently, two Ugandan policemen were killed by an angry mob of civilians. The police, accompanied by the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF), then stormed the Rwenzururu royal palace and the ensuing fight resulted in the deaths of 87 royal guards and at least 14 policemen.
Charles Mumbere was arrested and charged with murder, terrorism and aggravated robbery.
