By Mary Asujo
The parliamentary committee on Rules and Discipline has set next week Tuesday and Wednesday to begin investigations into the misconduct of Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake as directed by the Deputy Speaker Hon. Thomas Tayebwa.
Zaake is allegedly being accused of breaking the rules of parliament when he recently caused commotion in the house after raising a matter of National Importance under the disguise of a procedural matter.
Speaking to the press on Wednesday, the chairperson of the committee Abdul Katuntu said the committee will start on the assignment next week Tuesday till Thursday and the first witnesses will be the technical staff of parliament and the other identified MPs who were in parliament at that time.
Katuntu also said that they have already written to Zaake informing him of the committee proceedings and he is free to come with his lawyer or cross-examine any witness summoned by the committee.
A week ago Zaake while raising a matter on the floor of parliament pertaining to the kidnapping of Ugandans mainly those from the National Unity Platform, the legislator misbehaved when he caused commotion as the Deputy Speaker Tayebwa tried to put him to order.
Katuntu said that the committee is inviting those with CCTV footage and Hansard records to avail the information to the committee to help it in its work.
The Deputy Speaker Hon. Thomas Tayebwa had referred the members to rule 78 of the Rules of Procedure of Parliament providing for circumstances under which debate maybe interrupted, when a member rises on a point of order or procedure.
The Deputy Speaker, recently urged legislators to strictly adhere to the Parliamentary rules of procedure when debating in the House.
Tayebwa’s guidance followed Tuesday, 29 November 2022 incident where Hon. Francis Zaake (NUP, Mityana Municipality) rose to speak on a point on procedure but instead presented a matter of national importance on alleged kidnap and arrest of citizens. The MP rejected calls by Tayebwa to resume his seat forcing the Presiding Officer to temporarily suspend proceedings.
Tayebwa said that, in consultation with the Speaker, they have come up with guidance on points of procedure and order that must be adhered to during debate.
This is the second time the Mityana legislator is being sent to rules committee. In February this year, during plenary sitting Members of Parliament accused Zaake of insulting the integrity of Parliament after he took to social media and used offensive language to express his dissatisfaction with the Deputy Speaker’s statement regarding his alleged torture.