Ssekikubo Condemns Use of Parliamentary Police in Arrests of Critics

Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Ssekikubo has called out Speaker of Parliament Anita Among over the arrest of two critics.

Ssekikubo expressed his dissatisfaction while speaking to journalists on Saturday evening at Parliament.

Earlier this week, two Ugandans were arrested on separate occasions in relation to criticism of the Speaker. The first was former Rubaga Deputy Resident City Commissioner Herbert Anderson Burora, who was picked up from his home on Monday night.

Burora was then remanded to prison until 9th July, when he’ll return for the amendment of his charge sheet.

Over the last couple of months, Parliament has been dogged by speculations of corruption. It is with these revelations that Burora launched his criticism of how the Speaker, Anita Among, runs Parliament.

Through his account on X, formerly Twitter, Burora accused the Speaker of acting with impunity and corruption. Following over a month of this, Burora was suddenly fired from his role as Deputy RCC. He attributed his dismissal to the Speaker fighting him for his activism.Burora was detained over allegations of hate speech and malicious information under the Computer Misuse Act as amended in 2022.

Another person that was arrested last week is Fatuma Nansubuga. The 34-year-old woman was remanded to Luzira prison on charges of common nuisance.Nansubuga, a resident of Kalerwe market, Kawempe Division, was arrested after staging a lone protest outside Parliament. On Thursday, she was arraigned before grade one magistrate Caroline Kyoshabire.

It is with this background that Ssekikubo questioned the motive of the Speaker’s actions.

“If you do not want to be criticised, stay in your house. Do not come into politics. In politics, you have to tolerate.” – Theodore Ssekikubo.

Ssekikubo gives advise

Ssekikubo also advised politicians to consider alternative methods when handling criticism. According to Theodore, they should be able to sit down and reach a consensus with critics.

“Why are you using Parliamentary Police to arrest people? Yet the scene of the crime was not here.” – Theodore Ssekikubo.

He also wondered whether it wasn’t enough that Burora was dismissed from his role as Deputy RCC.Theodore Ssekikubo also called upon all Ugandans not to tolerate the impunity with which politicians act.