In a surprising turn of events, journalists assigned to cover the proceedings of Parliament were left stranded outside the parliamentary premises as the gallery’s door remained locked when they arrived to set up for the day’s plenary session.
The puzzling denial of access raised eyebrows the public with no official explanation provided for the unprecedented restriction.
Consequently, the events of the day went unreported, leaving even the national broadcaster UBC unable to transmit the proceedings to the public. As tensions mounted, the presence of anti-riot police around the Parliament compound added to the intrigue.
These developments unfolded simultaneously with the suspension of five opposition MPs for alleged misconduct, a decision made by Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa. Those suspended included Francis Zaake (Mityana Municipality), Betty Nambooze (Mukono Municipality), Joyce Bagala (Mityana District Woman MP), Derrick Nyeko (Makidye East), and Frank Kabuye (Kassanda South MP), all affiliated with the National Unity Platform (NUP) party.
The suspension of these MPs was triggered by the government’s response to the recent interception of NUP’s leader, Robert Kyagulanyi, at Entebbe International Airport upon his return to Uganda on October 5, 2023.
In light of these contentious events, opposition MPs, led by Mathias Mpuuga, the leader of the opposition, chose to exit the parliamentary chamber, vowing not to return until the government provides a satisfactory explanation for the interception of Robert Kyagulanyi and the arrest of 14 other NUP members.
Subsequently, reports indicated that Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa and opposition leaders convened at Parliament to discuss the suspended MPs and the video footage meant to be shown in the house, shedding light on Robert Kyagulanyi’s handling at the airport.
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