By Bernard Ngabirano,
PARROTS UG|PARLIAMENT:
The Speaker told the House on Wednesday that he learnt of the MP’s ill-health last evening during a meeting with three ministers and the Leader of Opposition.
The meeting he said was attended by Security Minister Hon Jim Muhwezi, State Minister for Internal Affairs Gen David Muhoozi and Government Chief Whip Hon Thomas Tayebwa.
Oulanyah says during the meeting, the internal affairs minister told them the MP was indeed not feeling well and that police had requested for Parliament to dispatch an ambulance and a doctor to be on standby in Masaka in case Hon Ssegirinya needed treatment.
“In our meeting it was raised that the health of Hon Ssegirinya is not that good and the minister requested that if parliament can release our ambulance so that police doesn’t have to use its own; and that we arrange with Ssegirinya’s private docto so that the parliamentary ambulance can go and pick him and they take him for evaluation if he is not too well,” Oulanya said.
“So I granted that permission and if the situation demands it, the parliamentary van and the doctor will be meeting him in Masaka to see if there is need for evaluation and reference.”
Hon Ssegirinya this afternoon appeared before the Masaka High Court where he was charged along with his Makindye West Counterpart Hon Allan Ssewanyana with fresh murder charges, allegedly committed in Kisekka in Kampala and Lwengo.
At the court, Hon Ssegirinya appeared frail and walked with unease.
Earlier yesterday, MPs from the opposition side told Parliament that Ssegirinya was shouting that he was sick during is re-arrest on September 27th at the gates of Kigo Prison.
The angry MPs subsequently stormed out of the House in protest and have since vowed not to return until the two colleagues are freed.
According to Speaker Oulanyah, following the protest, he decided to call the meeting with the three ministers, which was also attended by the Leader of Opposition Hon Mpuuga.
The meeting he said, reached “some agreement” on how the matter should be handled.
However, this morning he says, he received a call from Mpuuga informing him that he had not consulted with the rest of the opposition team on whether or not to return to parliament.
Besides, most of the opposition MPs had traveled to Masaka for the court session.
During today’s plenary which was attended only by NRM MPs and independents, Minister David Muhoozi applied to the House for the re-resting of the MPs without informing the Speaker.
He however, reiterated that both MPs were detained at Kireka till today when they were transferred to Masaka for production in court, and that they were allowed access to their lawyers.
“The medical concerns of Hon Ssegirinya were raised by himself and arrangements to be allowed medical treatment have been put in place,” he said.
“We shall exert our energies to ensure that all people irrespective of third station get just and equal treatment before the law through speedy and fair trial process.”
