By The planned march to Parliament was cut short, but organizers have vowed to reorganize a peaceful demonstration, this time led by their Chairman. According to one of the protest leaders, the group intends to meet the Speaker of Parliament to formally deliver their petition against MPs who have repeatedly criticized their leader whenever they get the opportunity to speak in the House. He emphasized that their demonstration sent a strong message to those attacking their Chairman both inside and outside Parliament.
The protest was a follow-up to a January 24 press statement in which leaders of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) declared their intention to storm Parliament, demanding accountability for the conduct of certain MPs.
Among their key demands were calls for legislators to show respect for the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), the approval of a Shs1 trillion budget for the army, action against corruption in Parliament, and measures to rein in disorderly MPs.
Background
Njeru County MP Jimmy Lwanga expressed frustration over the actions of some MPs on the Parliamentary Committee on Defence, particularly Derick Nyeko, whom he accused of neglecting his duties and instead targeting the CDF. Lwanga argued that summoning the CDF over his personal posts on X (formerly Twitter) was unwarranted, as the posts reflected his personal views rather than those of his official position.
The controversy erupted when the Defence Committee, chaired by Wilson Kajwengye, summoned Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba during discussions on the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs’ budget for the next financial year. The committee accused him of making social media posts that allegedly threatened national security and attacked opposition figures.
Gen. Muhoozi’s posts, which targeted opposition leaders Dr. Kizza Besigye and National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, were deemed inappropriate by the committee. In response to the summons, Gen. Muhoozi dismissed the MPs as “clowns,” vowing not only to arrest them but also to ensure that Parliament approves the Shs1 trillion budget for the army, which he commands.
