The Leader of Opposition, Hon. Mathias Mpuuga maintains that the ongoing boycott of plenary proceedings by the Opposition still stands until all the demands regarding the gross human rights violations, including explaining the whereabouts of the 18 missing persons are given a proper response.
Addressing a press Conference at parliament today, the Leader of Opposition said the directives issued by the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Anita Among during yesterday's plenary sitting are just a diversion.
"Our demand of the speaker is to follow up her instructions from the executive namely to come and respond. It's not safe for us to engage into a spering match with the speaker who is supposed to be a referee in these matters.” He said
"these small diversions as political leaders in parliament we understand them, but we cannot be diverted. Ours is a humble request to the speaker who actually even gave a timeline to the executive to indeed follow up on her orders to the executive.” He added.
The LOP says that the Opposition boycott is supported by the Constitution and all the other laws and rules are subsidiary.
Mpuuga also responded to a section of opposition MPs from different opposition political parties, who have failed to join them in their move of boycotting the plenary sitting suggesting that it won't resolve anything.
"the issue of some of our friends from the UPC and Dp i think the media can make role call on who is who and where. The group against this boycott is a very tiny minority, the reasons they're using are not principled reasons they seem personal, so if somebody says the boycott isn't helpful, what's it that they are suggesting that is helpful." Mpuuga said
"If you demand for a statement which should be debated and it’s not brought, so what are they waiting for in the house.I even heard one of the leaders saying, this is a NUP matter. That's really disgraceful to come from a leader anywhere, not even an LC1 chairperson can make that statement but to come from an MP, that mp is misplaced.” He added
He further told the Opposition MPs not to be bothered by the travel restrictions for Non-Attendance of plenary sittings since they are remunerated fairly well as peoples representatives.
In the same regards, government through their chief whip in parliament Hon. Denis Obua backed the speaker’s move stressing that government has already responded to the demands of the opposition on the floor of parliament through the minister of state for internal affairs.
"R.t Hon. Speaker to the best of the understanding of government we have done our part. We are respecting the decree by the presiding officer then to say government was given 30 days. But to the best of our recollection we have explained, Honourable members this is the same list that was submitted to human rights Commission, same list submitted to the parliamentary committee that reported on the floor, same list investigated by the different agencies of government, for how long will this parliament continue with this legislative activism.” Obua stated.
"R.t Hon. Speaker we would want to join you as the presiding officer to support you to use all the mechanisms within the rules of procedure to compale our colleagues to come back to the house. You can invoke even certain provisions because the truth is they left this house on their own. Now they want to be aided by ourselves to bring them back. We are going to politely decline R.t Hon. Speaker." He added.
The speaker of parliament R.t Hon. Annet Anita Among added her voice and asked the opposition mps to come back to the house so that government can respond to their requests regarding human rights violations among other issues.
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