By Izidoro Twinamasiko
NATIONAL
Last Wednesday, Parliament witnessed a tense and chaotic session as the government launched a rationalization initiative to reintegrate various government agencies back into their original ministries. Among the significant bills on the table was the contentious Coffee Amendment Bill, which sparked intense debate and even led to physical altercations among Members of Parliament.
The morning session was disrupted by a fistfight between Hon. Francis Zaake (NUP) and Hon. Patrick Akol (FDC), reportedly over a chair, resulting in chaotic scenes in the House. Speaker Anita Among promptly intervened, suspending MPs suspected of instigating disorder, including both Hon. Zaake and Hon. Akol. This suspension further intensified opposition sentiments, prompting the Leader of Opposition (L.O.P) to organize a walk out in protest, with the majority of opposition MPs following him. With most opposition members absent, Parliament swiftly moved forward with the remaining bills on the agenda, passing both the Coffee Amendment Bill and the National Coffee Act without further interruptions.
The Democratic Party, through the acting spokesperson Kiirya Ismail, who also doubles as UYD President, has since expressed disappointment over the handling of events. Kiirya criticized both the scuffle that led to the suspensions and the decision by the Leader of Opposition to lead opposition members out of Parliament. “The opposition boycott only cleared the way for the government to pass critical legislation without any significant challenge or input from those representing the coffee farmers’ interests,” Kiirya stated.
DP’s Kiirya further accused the LOP for providing the government space to pass the bill by leading away all opposition MPs. “Unless the L.O.P. informs us what was gained from his boycott, we may suspect this was a planned move to give the government space to pass the bill with all opposition MPs absent.
“It’s absurd that we lost the bill due to a dispute over seating arrangements, which led the Speaker to suspend the House and the L.O.P. to lead the opposition away,” Kiirya added.
The Democratic Party has also urged the L.O.P. to adopt more strategic approaches in future engagements, emphasizing the need for actions that genuinely benefit the public. They argue that decisions should not be driven by protests but rather by strategies that effectively safeguard the interests of constituents.
“As the Democratic Party, we urge the L.O.P. to be more calculative in certain matters. Let’s avoid actions solely for public display and instead engage in initiatives where the public can truly benefit. Comparing the handling of Article 102B’s amendment to this coffee bill reveals a sharp difference between the current L.O.P. and previous ones,” Kiirya said.
The events in Parliament have sparked debate within the opposition and among the public regarding the effectiveness of recent strategies, especially concerning critical bills like the Coffee Amendment. The Democratic Party has reiterated its commitment to coffee farmers, assuring them that, despite recent legislative changes, it will continue to advocate for their rights and support their ability to freely sell their coffee.
“We want to take this opportunity to reassure the general public, particularly coffee farmers, that despite the reintegration of the UCDA, we will continue moving forward and supporting the sale of our coffee,” Kiirya said.
