Opposition MPs have resolved to boycott Parliamentary sittings over the continued detention of their fellow MPs Allan Ssewanyana and Mohammad Ssegirinya.
The Leader of Opposition Mathias Mpuuga said that this is going to be continued until all political detainees face a fair Court hearing.
The same sentiment was re-echoed by the Opposition Chief Whip John Baptist Nambeshe.
Hon Ssewanyana and Hon Ssegirinya are facing charges related to the Masaka killings that left about 30 people dead.
The two had been granted bail by the Masaka High Court but were rearrested by the infamous drones as they left Kigo prison on different days.
This was after President Museveni said that he doesn’t know why murder suspects and other criminals with aggravated charges are accorded bail.
He said that this is wrong and he’s going to fight to have it eradicated.
However, he’s still facing heavy criticism and opposition from most law practitioners who say that assumptions of ones guilt or innocence can’t render them offenders until proven guilty by a competent Court.
Meanwhile the two MPs were arraigned before Masaka High Court yesterday 29th September 2021 and charged with a new case of murder.
It’s alleged that on the 2nd of August 2021 the two MPs murdered a one Joseph Bwanika a resident of Kisekka B village, Kankamba parish in Lwengo District.
The MPs were sent back to Kigo prison and are expected back in Court on the 13th of October 2021 as Masaka High Court couldn’t avail bail to them since it has no jurisdiction to try murder charges.
The two MPs however seemed to be in pain as they were seen limping.
It’s from this basis that their lawyer Shamim Malende said that they are going to apply in the High Court for bail such that they can get specialised treatment.
“They are in a very bad health state. They were tortured and as you may have witnessed they came [to court] limping yet they have health complications which was our major reason as to why we asked for bail which the court had granted to them before they were re-arrested. We want court to prevail over security operatives who make court orders nugatory,” Hon Shamim Malende said
The Opposition is however confident that all these charges are politically trumped up and it’s just a matter of time before they are thrown out by a credible Court.
