Local Politics Behind Zziwa Woes... Seven Ugandan Mps Are Among the 31 Who Want to Censure the EALA Speaker
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SATURDAY VISION April 5, 2014 3 + Mali on alert over deadly Ebola virus; 3 suspected cases reported near border + Local politics behind Zziwa woes... Seven Ugandan MPs are among the 31 who want to censure the EALA speaker BY JOHN SEMAKULA “I feel I did what was right at that time when I nom- inated Zziwa as speaker, amid controversy. Thereafter, THE current squabbling in the East African Legisla- it was upon her to prove her worth. I should not be tive Assembly (EALA) that has seen a group of MPs blamed for her method of work,” Tiperu said. signing a petition to censure the Speaker, Margaret Disgruntled MPs accuse Zziwa of poor governance ARTISTES SIGNING AT NATIONAL Zziwa, is raising more questions than answers back and leadership skills; abuse of offi ce, disrespect and THEATRE. Photo by Violet Nabatanzi at home. intimidation of MPs and technical staff. The motion has stirred pundits, who cast doubt on The petitioners allege that Zziwa makes key deci- Aristes sign petition the competence and knowledge of the country’s nine sions without consulting members. They give the legislators, on regional politics. example of a decision she took against rotating the against tobacco use When elected in May 2012, they were expected to sittings of the regional Parliament without consulting EMBATTLED EAST work as a unit to advance the country’s and the re- them. Artists and musicians have asked Par- gion’s interests. But on arrival in Arusha, Tanzania at They also accuse her of failing to delegate and that liament to expedite the enactment of AFRICAN LEGISLATIVE the East African Community headquarters, the group Zziwa attends every function at the expense of crucial the Tobacco Control Bill 2014 into law ASSEMBLY (EALA) started bickering. house business. to ensure that there is a fi rm framework SPEAKER MARGARET A rift soon emerged during the elections of the On disrespecting the members and technical staff, to regulate tobacco use in Uganda. ZZIWA DURING HER Speaker, which was to be taken by a Ugandan under the petitioners allege that Zziwa once referred to Speaking at the signing of the the rotational system among member states. them as adolescents before a regional President. But petition at the National Theatre on SWEARING IN During the elections, one group supported Zziwa, Zziwa denies the allegations. Friday, the president Federation of CEREMONY IN 2012 while the other rallied behind Dora Byamukama, who Pundits, however, believe that the fi ght may be more Uganda Performing Artistes, Andrew was reportedly the offi cial government candidate. about Zziwa failing to award the MPs more benefi ts, Benon Kibuuka, expressed concern And it seems the rivalry is still thriving. like sitting allowances, than anything else. that Parliament was taking long to For the last few weeks, a cross-section of Ugandan Mukasa Mbidde one of the two Ugandan legislators pass the law. The executive director EALA members has been in the spotlight for ganging against the motion, told Saturday Vision that his col- African Centre for Global health Prof. up with a group of MPs from other members states to leagues were acting as if they not did not understand Francis Omaswa appealed to artistes to censure Zziwa. the implications of passing the motion. sensitise the public about tobacco use. Seven Ugandan MPs are reportedly among the 31 “It appears like they are not aware that if Zziwa “Artists and musicians are very power- out of a total of 45, who have signed the petition. loses the seat, Uganda will have to wait for 25-years ful people and their audience listens to They include Byamukama, who is one of the petition- to get it back,” Mbidde said. A speaker has a fi ve-year them. The important thing on control- ers, Daniel Kidega, Nusura Tiperu and Chris Opoka. term. ling tobacco is awareness and if people Tiperu, who nominated Zziwa for the seat a year But if she loses the seat, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, know all the dangers of smoking, they and half ago and now supports her censure, told Burundi and probably South Sudan may have to are less likely to embark on it than if Saturday Vision that nobody should blame her for occupy it fi rst, each for fi ve years, before Uganda can they do not know,” Omaswa said. backing the motion to oust Zziwa from offi ce. take it again. Saturday, April 5, 2014 UNBEARABLE QUEUES SWAGGTHE HANGOUT AFFECTING THE SERVICE INDUSTRY At the immigration department, people line up for hours before accessing a service. Jane wanted to renew her passport. After spending hours in the queue, she enlisted the services of a middleman who asked for sh100,000 and had the passport ready within a week. Find out what the service HILLARIE HANNAH providers plan to do to improve the situation AINT TOO SHY FOR TV l TEEN ZIBS l GUESS THE CELEB AND WIN 10K l HI SKOOL ESCAPADES ST.LAWRENCE SPORTS DAY SPECIAL REPORT p8-9 PULL-OUT SPECIAL TODAY INSIDE Opposition calls o Nebbi town rally ...Mbidde says censure motion is sour grapes The opposition has called off a mass rally it had planned to stage in Nebbi Little wonder, then, that back in the na- and hear the petition. regional Parliament. When asked what the town council, an hour before it was due tional Parliament, MPs who are aware of the “This was Ugandans chance to convince problem is, they say the Speaker is weak, but to take place at the market square. implication of Margaret Zziwa’s censure, have members from other countries that we can never explain how. The ones supporting the Addressing a press conference at bitterly protested against the plot. Kasule even produce a regional President when the Speaker accuse their rivals of sour-graping Broadway Hotel on Thursday, Alex Lumumba, the NRM Chief Whip, this week time fi nally comes,” he noted. after losing the seat,” Wanyoto said. Ocaki, the district Democratic Party attacked the regional MPs for taking the posi- Mbidde described the petition as a scandal- She added that they also had problems but chairman, said the rally was called off tion to censure before consulting them. ous political scheme to annihilate the stature they had resolved them amicably. because the national opposition lead- EALA MP, Mukasa Mbidde, says his col- of the Speaker. “Everything in the petition is “How do you fail to solve problems of 45 ers who were supposed to address it, leagues have taken local politics into regional hearsay with no annexure like an audit query people when the speaker here is in charge of were engaged in a meeting in Kampala, matters. “The Ugandan MPs are childish raised against the Speaker. The group fi ghting about 400 legislators?” she wondered. over the same matter. Those who were and myopic,” Mbidde added. “They think her is only interested in failing her.” When the motion to censure Zziwa was expected at the rally included FDC’s the speaker is one of them, not knowing that When Saturday Vision contacted Byamu- tabled before the House this week, Mbidde Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu, UPC chief when they voted her, she became a regional kama, she declined to comment. rose up on a point of procedure and submit- Olara Otunnu, Bishop Zac Niringiye leader.” Former EALA representative Lydia Wanyoto ted that it was illegal to discuss a matter be- and other key opposition and civil He also noted that the MPs had failed to who represented Uganda for 14 years noted fore court. The Speaker was forced to adjourn society activists. “We apologise to the move on from Zziwa beating Byamukama to that the MPs had undermined the foundation the assembly indefi nitely. people of Nebbi, that the rally has been the position. Mbidde has petitioned the East their predecessors had set. President Yoweri Museveni, who has been postponed until further notice, but African Court of Justice seeking an injunction “The issues each group is raising are very out of the country on offi cial matters, prom- another day is being planned,” Ocaki against the motion. The court is yet to seat weak and can’t cause a stampede in the ised to intervene. said. He, however, said the Arua rally ▲ would proceed as planned on Friday ▼ (yesterday). ▲ ▼.