Kampala — THE Uganda People's Congress (UPC) MPs have also removed the president's portrait from their parliamentary office.

The party chief whip, Livingstone Okello Okello, told The New Vision that the party had replaced it with that of their president, Miria Kalule Obote.

"I removed it long time ago because this office belongs to the UPC. Parliament labelled it as a UPC office. I don't see any reason for having Museveni's portrait."

Asked about where he had put the portrait, Okello said: "I don't know where it is. I ordered the Parliament workers to take it back."

Parliament's sergeant-at-arms, Ahmed Kagoye, said he was not aware of the development.

Last week, Democratic Party MPs removed the President's portrait that hung in their office on grounds that it was 'misplaced and unnecessary.'

The Speaker of the House and the Leader of Opposition in Parliament criticised the action, saying it was discourteous.

Edward Ssekandi and Ogenga Latigo, in two separate letters asked the MPs to review their decision and restore the portrait.

"I view this as not only irregular but discourteous. The portrait is a property of Parliament, which you found in the office when it was allocated to you," Ssekandi wrote.

The two leaders said President Yoweri Museveni is the Head of State and Fountain of Honour, who deserves respect just as the opposition MPs wanted others to respect their presidents.

Latigo said the parties were also free to hang the portraits of their party leaders in the offices alongside that of President Museveni.

"You can't remove the President's portrait simply because he is not your party president.

"These are national offices. I have written to all of them, requesting that they review their decision," Latigo said. He asked the opposition MPs to give him portraits of their party presidents for his office.