SHAME IN THE HOUSE: MP Akol Punches Zaake To Cabbage, Admitted
By Angel Lubowa
KAMPALA
CHAOS broke once again in Uganda’s parliament when an MP with a high appetite for fighting
punched his fellow legislator and now under hands of medics.
The House had convened Wednesday 6,2024 to deliberate for the second reading on the National Coffee Amendment Bill, 2024, which seeks the merger of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) with the agriculture ministry, which has generated tension in the political arena.
The government, led by President Museveni, is pushing for the scrapping of the coffee authority to enshrine its mandate under the ministry, but the move has met strong opposition from across the political divide and the population.
According to video recordings which have gone viral, Kilak North MP, Anthony Akol unleashing quick blows on Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake, throwing him down and was led out on a stretcher for hospital admissions. Similar scuffles and chaos had been rife in Uganda parliament.
Akol has boxing background.
Zaake was returning from the microphone to protest the alleged presence of armed personnel in the vicinity contrary to the rules when he found Akol settling in a seat he ( Zaake) had been occupying.
He attempted to nudge Akol off his seat but Akol returned punches throwing Zaake off feet.
After the chaos which saw lights getting off and Annet Anita Among speaker moving for safety, she returned to suspend the sitting and also suspending 12 MPs involved in the scuffle for three sittings.
Those suspended include Zaake and Akol , Shamim Malende (Kampala City), Hannington Wakayima Musoke (Nansana Municipality), Aloysius Mukasa (Lubaga South), Charles Tebandeke ( Bbaale County), and Derrick Nyeko (Makindye East).
Others are Frank Kabuye (Kassanda South) Evans Kanyike (Bukoto East), and Susan Nakaziba Mugabi (Buvuma Island.)
This is not the first time for Akol to fight in parliament, in 2020 he punched then Aruu County MP Odonga Otto and defended his acts by saying that he was provoked by Mr Otto, who, after expressing his grievances, started hurling insults at him.
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