Opposition Members of Parliament last week boycotted parliamentary seating following the re-arrest of their legislators legislators Muhammad Ssegirinya ( Kawempe North) and Allan Ssewanyana ( Makindye West) all from National Unity Platform.
The two MPs are on remand over murder charges, with the state accusing the duo of having a hand in some of the killings that recently rocked the greater Masaka area.
However, on Tuesday, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Mathias Mpuuga, led his team back to the house after stormed over parliament and vowed never to return until their colleagues are released from prison.
He further called for investigations by parliamentary members and get to the bottom of the killings, which have since polarized the country claiming over 27 lives in just one month.
“We were not in exile…we only took a well-considered decision to retreat…Thank you for understanding us as presiding officers and the Members…because no one went out of their way to ostracise us,” he said.
“We shall present to Parliament a motion for Parliament to investigate the murders and disappearances for the last 24 months.” He added.
Mpuuga said their hard stance against the incarceration of the MPs is not premised on not wanting the duo to face the law, but that they are fighting the abuse of the process.
“We want to be well understood as Members of Parliament and as leaders…it’s not that we encourage crime, but we also understand that this is our country…when government is fighting crime, it must do so under the confines of the Rule of Law,” he said.
On Friday last week, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni blamed opposition MPs over stormed out of parliament and advised that wise idea would be for them to push for a speedy trial of their colleagues so as to prove their innocence but not boycotting parliament business.
“I saw some politicians walked out of parliament because somebody has not got bail. If I was one of the suspects or even were members of my party and accused of such serious crime, I would press for working expeditiously to prove whether it is correct or not,” Museveni said on Friday while addressing the nation.
“I would say, have a quick trial so that innocence comes out. That is what an honest person does. If suspect is innocent, those connected to him should push for expeditious trial. If you are innocent, demand a quick trial. Don’t demand impunity, untouchability but expeditious trial. But people don’t want the investigations to be concluded.” He added.
The re-arrest of the two opposition legislators, Muhammad Ssegirinya and Allan Ssewanyana after release on bail has sparked debate over whether it was right or wrong as the government insists that there are fresh charges that the duo has to answer, fellow opposition MPs say this is a violation of their rights.