‘Mityana’ municipality lawmaker ‘Francis Zaake’ has asked the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Committee on Rules, Rights and Discipline in order to investigate the matter linked to happen outside the precincts of Parliament.
Zaake, who came upfront before the committee on Monday, February 28, with his two lawyers, Eron Kiiza and Benjamin Katana, informed the committee, which is held by Bugweri County MP Abdu Katuntu, that the accusations against him are damaging, unfounded and in bad faith.
Zaake had appeared before the committee over alleged demeaning the person of Deputy Speaker, Anita Among, and the institution of Parliament.
He stated: “I challenge this Committee jurisdiction to interrogate the matter profoundly and which alleged to have happened outside the precincts of Parliament. As such, I am here only out of respect I have for you, my colleagues and this institution, but at the same time, I must defend myself.”
According to Mityana MP, the process of proceeding of the committee is born out of a fatal conflict of interest.
However, I was already found guilty of these accusations even before the matter came into Parliament. The details of the security I am qualified as unceremoniously removed a commissioner without any explanation,” he stated.
“Furthermore, he stated that he did not believe that these proceedings are not planned to establish the truth. Their aim is to the knot the robe with which the mob, after lynching me, will hang me to fit the narrative that I committed suicide.”
Zaake added in his statement that the Deputy Speaker Among should be the one occurring before the committee, not him.
“Nevertheless, I forgive her. I forgive her not just for making fun of my plight, but also for the mob justice she is about to preside over against me,” the Mityana MP stressed.
The aim to evict Zaake as a parliament commissioner was driven by Gulu West Member of Parliament Ojara Martin Mapenduzi, who was selected by the National Unity Platform (NUP) as the head of the Local Government’s Accounts Committee chairman in Parliament.
Zaake was also selected by the Parliament Commissioner by the same party that selected Mapenduzi.
As per the rule of 110, the motion demanded the removal of Zaake as the rules of procedure of Parliament.
Mapenduzi’s motion was supported by Amolatar Woman Member of Parliament Atim Agnes Apea from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
