…says the business of wanting to use rules and regulations to intimidate people should be a thing of the past.
Thursday, 31 March, 2022 (Smart Eagles).
Former Minister of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection Raphael Nakacinda says Parliament and the speaker of the national Assembly are not above reproach.
He said it is for this reason that the business of wanting to use rules and regulations of Parliament to intimidate people should be a thing of the past.
Hon Nakacinda was speaking after appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Privileges, Absences and Support Services.
This is in relation to a complaint which was raised by Lukulu East Member of Parliament Christopher Kalilila against Hon Nakacinda over an article attributed to him in one of the daily tabloids alleging that the speaker was emotional and also questioned her impartiality in one of her decisions.
Dr Kalila further sought a determination a determination on whether or not Hon Nakacinda was in contempt of Parliament.
And Hon Nakacinda Bemoaned the hesitance by the committee to put what they are alleging to strict proof of evidence.
“I am hopping that through this matter, Parliament will be called to order. This is the people’s Assembly and it is not above reproach. Madam Speaker in her execution of her duties is not above reproach. We want to put it on record that Parliament and the speaker are not above reproach
“Dr Kalilila is saying that I may have gone against the persona of madam speaker when I commented on some of the decisions and rulings she had made in the house. We are demanding that they avail each of those rulings the speaker made so that we examine if I am offside with the comments I made,” he said..
Hon Nakacinda also expressed disappointment on the low number of bills advanced in the current session of Parliament.
Meanwhile, Hon Nakacinda’s Lawyer Tutwa Ngulube said the committee is citing a law that does not give them power to do what they want to do.
Mr Ngulube said Hon Nakacinda has a protected right to give his opinion adding that the statement attributed to him boarders on opinion.
He says the idea of Parliament waiting and lying ambush that anyone who says anything about madam speaker should come and appear before the committee is being Militant.
“We have had a problem in the committee because it appears that they do not want to guide whether they now have powers to prosecute members of the public who say anything about madam Speaker.
Moreover, the article in the Daily Nation was not written by Hon Nakacinda. So how do we conclude that everything was said by Hon Nakacinda,” He said.
Mr Ngulube expressed disappointment that Parliament wants to behave like a court.
“They are refusing that they are not a court but they want to proceed as if they are a court. They have told us they will not give us the footage, they assume that Hon Nakacinda is guilty and that he said what was said. They trampling on the rights of Hon Nakacinda. When you say Madam Speaker was emotional is that insulting the whole Parliament??…,”