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The Leader of Opposition in Parliament Hon Mathias Mpuuga while addressing press on Friday, reacted harshly to the Speaker’s recent threat to expel all the opposition MPs who are boycotting plenary sittings in protest of the mishandling of the cases of the missing opposition members.
Mpuuga said if the speaker is serious about penalizing those missing parliament sessions, she should start with the cabinet ministers who almost never come to parliament.
The LOPs listed ministers such as Hon Janet Kataaha Museveni, the Minister of Education and Sports and Hon Kahinda Otafiire, the Minister for Internal Affairs.
Ministers as ex-officio members of parliament are requirement to regularly attend plenary to address questions raised on the house floor.
"I don’t think there is anybody feeling that the Opposition is out and therefore, the 15 days are targeting them,” said Mr Mpuuga.
“The 15days should target Gen. Otafiire, Kataaha Museveni and others. The Opposition MPs are doing their work and even when they are absent, their absence from the House is official.”
Speaker Among Tuesday 14th November, 2023, warned that if the opposition MPs miss 15 sittings in a row without seeking permission from her office for their absentia, she will be left with no option but to expel them from the House.
She said she would invoke parliamentary rules that could result in the loss of seats for these members.
The Opposition MPs led by the Leader of Opposition have been boycotting Plenary Sittings over what they call unresolved concerns on human rights violations for over three weeks.