Supporters of a move in parliament to censure Security minister Gen. Elly Tumwine have expressed worry that the process could suffer a stillbirth following a poor turn up of MPs to sign the petition.
MPs including Hon. Sekikubo, Hon. Barnabas Tinkasimire, Hon. John Baptist Nambeshe, Hon. Allan Sewanyana and Kasibante Moses have lashed out at their colleagues who are yet to sign for abdicating from their constitutional mandate.
Sources indicate that with only only Four working days left, only 19 MPs have signed yet the petition requires 150 signatures to kick-start the process to censure the maverick Army General.
MPs say their colleagues should know that they have people they represent who are potential victims of the torture Gen. Tumwine is perpetrating, and by doing so, they do not deserve to be in parliament. They say it is only natural and normal that Gen. Tumwine is called to order because the censure is a gesture to curb impunity which is an obligation for all MPs.
Sekikubo said it is pitiful to see MPs who were upbeat on the day the resolution to censure Tumwine was passed in parliament chickening out and nowhere to be seen as the process to collect signatures goes on.
“Can you Imagine parliament is running away from its resolutions? What is left of parliament running away from its resolutions? I think it is time the public throws us out! It is useless” An emotionally charged Sekikubo said.
The MPs said while some of their colleagues are enjoying privileges like military escorts and living in posh houses, they should be mindful of the vulnerable millions of Ugandans whose rights can be easily violated in illegal detention centers.
“We are asking; what is the recourse of those who may never see the light of the day, those whose bodies have been tortured and can no longer perform as adults? If you think you are safe in parliament here, it is only 5 years” Sekikubo said.
They say some MPs are giving flimsy excuses saying they will sign at a later stage, while others say they will sign after knowing the position of the Speaker on the matter. He says by doing so, parliament is running away from its mandate.
Sekikubo alleged that some MPs are hiding from the process for fear of losing their constituencies in the next general elections because they will be “fought” by forces in government, while others are debtors to Gen. Tumwine’s money lending business.
Manjiya County MP John Baptist Nambeshe he is shocked to learn that even members of the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee who authored the report that implicate Gen. Tumwine are shying away from the petition. He said it is not Gen. Tumwine who is on trial, but the 10th parliament since the cause for censure falls in the mandate of legislators which include protecting the constitution.
He said the issue is pi-partisan, and he is shocked to see MPs not appending their signatures. The MPs threatened that they will publicize the list of colleagues that signed and shame the “traitors.”