Deputy speaker Tayebwa bows to pressure, apologise to opposition over mishaps

The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, on Tuesday, said he is in talks with key leaders in government and the Opposition, to settle the stalemate over human rights violations and the latter’s continued boycott of House proceedings, something opposition leader, Mathias Mpuuga refuted.

On Thursday last week, the opposition, walked out of a plenary sitting, protesting and demanding a government explanation over human rights violations meted against their leaders and supporters, some of whom remain unaccounted for in many months.

In one of the sittings last week, Tayebwa suspended five Opposition MPs, over disruptions in the House.

Almost a week later, Tayebwa was apologetic in his communication during the plenary sitting on Wednesday, 25 October 2023, saying he was deploying all possible means to reconcile the two parties and have the protesting members back to Parliament.

“All efforts are being deployed, all attention is being given to ensure that we resolve the impasse that is between the two sides in the House. I have held meetings with several leaders from both sides; we are facilitating dialogue, there is progress,” said Tayebwa.

He observed that although Parliament is able to conduct business without the protesting legislators, he was uncomfortable with an ‘incomplete House’ and thus wished for reconciliation.

“For me, I feel that we are incomplete when we are all not here, business can go on but I still register discomfort with it. I would want to see our colleagues joining us, I hope very soon we shall come to an amicable conclusion to this matter,” Tayebwa said.

However, Mpuuga, said although there was a meeting with the Deputy Speaker during which he transmitted the list of Opposition demands to the government, there was nothing like negotiations.