LOP Ssenyonyi Urges Speaker Among to Recuse Herself from Coffee Bill Debate Over Alleged Bias

Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi has called on Speaker Anita Among to step aside from overseeing the contentious National Coffee Amendment Bill, citing comments she allegedly made last week that he believes signal a potential bias.

According to Ssenyonyi, the Speaker’s remarks implied an intention to prevent Baganda legislators from rallying enough support for the Bill to advance to the second reading.

Ssenyonyi raised his concerns in Parliament, referencing an exchange Speaker Among had with Government Chief Whip Hamson Obua.

During the exchange, Speaker Among allegedly questioned whether Obua had the numbers to proceed with the Bill, which Ssenyonyi argued suggests she may have personal interests in the matter. “What we saw on the national broadcaster were remarks indicating an interest in the Bill. Given your conduct, I believe there is a conflict of interest, and you should have declared it and recused yourself from this issue,” Ssenyonyi stated.

He also expressed disappointment with the Speaker’s remarks, which he interpreted as potentially divisive along tribal lines.

“The Bill isn’t just about Buganda; coffee is grown throughout the country. To imply that this is a battle against Buganda is alarming,” he added. Ssenyonyi further called on the government to clarify whether the Bill was targeting the Baganda people specifically.

Despite Ssenyonyi’s appeal, Speaker Among did not directly respond to his recusal request. Instead, she stated she would address the matter comprehensively once the Coffee Bill appeared on the Order Paper.

“When we come to the Coffee Bill, I will provide an appropriate response,” she remarked, before moving on to other items on the agenda, including the Uganda Road Fund and UNRA.

The debate grew tense as MP Fox Odoi (West Budama North East) attempted to interject, raising a point of order to halt Ssenyonyi’s remarks. However, Ssenyonyi, invoking the Rules of Procedure, argued that procedural issues take precedence, effectively countering Odoi’s interruption.

Further intensifying the debate, Kira Municipality MP Ssemujju Nganda raised concerns about heightened security measures within Parliament, questioning the presence of a large number of armed personnel around the Chambers.

“Parliament should be a space for free debate. I am requesting that the Chambers be emptied and searched to ensure no weapons are present,” Ssemujju said. He noted that MPs, including those from the Opposition, had experienced invasive checks that he felt disrupted their work.

Speaker Among responded that she, too, had been subjected to the same checks and clarified that clearing the Chambers was unfeasible, given that members of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) were also using the premises.

“We must be mindful of EALA’s presence here. I, too, underwent the checks, and I am not immune to them,” she stated, emphasizing the need to balance security with the functionality of Parliament.

The Coffee Bill debate continues to ignite strong sentiments within Parliament, with further discussions expected to address both the Bill’s contents and procedural concerns regarding Speaker Among’s involvement.