The President of the National Unity Platform (NUP), Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka Bobi Wine has praised the Mityana Municipality Member of Parliament Francis Zaake for staging a one man’s protest in Parliament yesterday demanding for an end to the abduction of people.
Speaking today in Kampala, Kyagulanyi said that MPs must use their positions to put to the fore the plight of Ugandans who have been abducted with some for over two years now allegedly because of their political views.
Yesterday, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa was forced to momentarily suspend the sitting of Parliament after Zaake refused to heed to his calls of sitting down.
Zaake who had stood up to raise a matter of national importance concerning the recent arrests of a Muslim Cleric Sheikh Yahaya Ramathan Mwanje and former presidential candidate Joseph Kabuleta and other NUP supporters such as Jamshid Kavuma, was ordered to sit down but he declined to heed the order shouting that he would not be silenced when Ugandans are suffering.
Kyagulanyi added that the reason they support actions like those of Zaake is that the government has closed all other avenues through which people can express themselves. He called upon all those leaders regardless of their political convictions to speak out against human rights violations.
“We have been very clear about this, reflect the will of the people, represent the people. Today our issue is not electricity, its not health, its not education; its staying alive; it’s human rights. We want them to major on majors and minor on minors which is the plight of the people they represent. We know that the plight of Ugandans is not only the responsibility of NUP; it’s a responsibility of every Member of Parliament. Those people who are abducted are not only supporters of NUP or are those represented by NUP MPs. Even those who are represented by NRM , FDC or even DP MPs are abducted. So what is my message to them, represent the people it doesn’t have to be your relative or you clan mate or your religion mate you only have to be a human being and citizen of Uganda. And if you don’t stand up when an injustice is being done to one Ugandan, be sure one day it will come to you and there will not be anyone to defend you,” said Kyagulanyi.
Asked what exactly he wants the MPs to do, Kyagulanyi said all options are on the table including a boycott of parliamentary sittings.
David Lewis Rubongoya, NUP party Secretary General also echoed Kyagulanyi’s message applauding Zaake’s protests adding that this is the only language that the government hears.
