The Leader of Opposition, Mathias Mpuuga has called for an immediate accountability from different ministers regarding the brutality meted on different opposition women MPs.
For the past few days the media has been awash by videos and pictures of last week's brutal arrest of Buvuma Woman MP, Suzan Nakaziba Mugabi and several others who had gathered to celebrate the belated women's day celebrations in Buvuma district.
Nakaziba has since been hospitalised with several injuries.
On Wednesday, Opposition female Members of Parliament petitioned the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among regarding the brutal arrests meted on them at different events organised to celebrate the International Women's Day in their respective districts.
The MPs contend the actions and conduct of the security personnel under the command of the Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) are systematically made to block them from interfacing with their constituents.
The MPs now want Speaker Among to join them in the demonstration against their ill-treatment and the Ministers of Security, Defense, and Internal Affairs to be summoned to explain why women legislators are being battered heartlessly.
Mpuuga demanded that the concerned ministers should urgently make preliminary explanations as to what steps they have taken to apprehend the police, army officers and others involved in the violence.
"Some matters are very urgent...they may not wait because the community is really scared as to whether they have a government. When I went to visit Suzan in hospital, she was with her sister who was equally in hospital brutalised with bruises and she told me that that her breasts were squeezed, she was almost laid bare. But because she is not an MP like Suzan, her case did not come to the media," said Mpuuga.
He said that the MP's mother was equally beaten and slept in the cells and the father jailed, only to be released in the night.
"The minister of Internal Affairs should tell us whether he is in-charge and immediately. Tuesday next week is very far for these criminals to be still around within the people. The army was involved and they were shooting all over the island. They were shooting in water, in the forests...these are insane humans, they should really be somewhere gazetted," he said.
Mpuuga's statement was in response to a communication by the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa in which he noted the brutality against a section of female MPs who have attempted to organise belated women's day celebrations in their districts.
Tayebwa noted the violent events that unfolded in Mityana district as the area MP, Joyce Bagala organised a celebration for women, events in Soroti City and other areas.
He told the House that the Prime Minister had been directed to make a comprehensive statement regarding the developments on Tuesday next week.
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However, Mpuuga said that the issue could not wait for the Prime Minister and asked the Deputy Speaker to require the different responsible ministers to provide accountability.
"The Ministers in-charge of these beasts should be coming to report whether they are still amongst humans. We cannot be leaders in this country when this is going on, certainly, the Minister for Presidency will need to come and explain whether she gave some more powers beyond what we know to the RDCs. How do you jail an old woman for just being a mother to an MP?" Mpuuga asked.
In response, the Deputy Speaker said that consultations would be made regarding the issue raised by the leader of the opposition.
"Let's make consultations and then we shall see how best we can handle this issue quickly. But for the urgency...I totally agree with you. Only that we wanted to get a comprehensive response on the matter," said Tayebwa.
