We were beaten by State House - Ruzindana
By Emmanuel N. Mugarura & Elias Biryabarema
March 10, 2004
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PARLIAMENT - The Parliamentary Advocacy Forum, Pafo, has accused State House of engineering the chaos in Jinja last Friday. "We got information that certain State House operatives had been sent to Jinja to beat us," said Rukiga County MP, Jack Sabiiti, a member of the group. He accuses a senior member of Cabinet of co-ordinating the "thuggery" in Jinja.
Some Pafo members, which group mainly comprises Members of Parliament opposed to a third term for President Museveni, were assaulted in the scuffle. "We were beaten and pushed down the stairs, we were badly humiliated; they kept beating us to get out," said Ruhama MP, Augustine Ruzindana, who is also Pafo chairman. Ruzindana accused government of failure to protect people and MPs. "Where we have reached now, the democratisation process has stalled; everything is going back to zero," he said. "If 50 MPs can't be allowed to talk; if MPs can't speak, who will speak? We are in real trouble, serious trouble," he added. Ruzindana warned that the days of tolerance could be over and the public should brace itself for the worst. "The time when different views could be heard and tolerated is over; what is coming to all of us started in Jinja. You either tow the official line or you suffer," Ruzindana warned. "What you have seen is not the last, it's the beginning, a lot more is coming," he said. Pafo also accused government of trying to humiliate Mr Eriya Kategaya in Jinja. Pafo used the same conference to dismiss President Museveni's reference to the opposition as empty tins. "We are not empty tins. We would like to assure the public that empty tins do not attract attention of people, why then should the president bother?" asked Ruzindana. "Our methods are peaceful and we shall continue to show superior moral virtues," Ruzindana said. "That is the usual Museveni language, we shall not comment," he said. Fifteen MPs, including Maj. Gen Mugisha Muntu, of the East African Legislative Council, attended the press conference. However, the acting Presidential Press Secretary, Onapito Ekomoloit dismissed the claims as "diversionary." "Pafo is now very aware that their message is not selling and they are just trying to get at the President using all fictitious arguments," he said. "Not everyone who supports the President and NRM works in State House. It is like saying like that all Catholics are being sent by the Vatican," he argued. |
© 2004 The Monitor Publications
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