Tumwine Accuses Parliament Of Wasting Time On Sejusa

http://bit.ly/1h68E5R
The chairperson of the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) Caucus in the Ugandan Parliament, General Elly Tumwine has accused the Rules Committee of wasting their time on renegade General David Sejusa’s saying the matter is supposed to be quietly handled by the UPDF.

General Elly Tumwine

Tumwine said this on Thursday while appearing before the Rules Committee of the country’s Parliament that is investigating the absence of General Sejusa who has missed over 15 sittings of the House..
Tumwine questioned what more the committee is investigating saying that he himself heard from Sejusa that he was to fight the government.
He said the General is undisciplined saying that under normal circumstances, he was supposed to copy his request of leave submitted to the Speaker to him as the chairperson of members of UPDF caucus.
He described General Sejusa’s conduct and missing of House sittings as total indiscipline, rebellion and abuse of his country.
Meanwhile, Uganda’s Deputy Chief of Defence Forces, Lieutenant General Charles Angina who on Thursday also appeared before the same committee asked Parliament to allow the army fill renegade General David Sejusa’s seat in Parliament.
Angina reasoned that the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) is like a soccer team that needs all its 11 players on the pitch at all times. He noted that Sejusa’s absence means the team is one man less.
The UPDF is under the Special Interest Groups in Parliament and is represented by 10 members including Angina and his boss, CDF Katumba Wamala.
Contrary to the earlier statements by the State Minister of Defence Jeje Odongo and those of CDF Katumba Wamala, Angina told the Rules Committee that General Sejusa has not yet been declared Absent without Official Leave (AWOL).
He said Sejusa never sought permission of leave from the UPDF but added that the Speaker notified them of the continued absence of the General and at the same time inquiring whether UPDF had sent him on official duty hence keeping him away for long.
Angina said Parliament which provided leave to Sejusa should be in position to tell whether he is on official leave or not. He noted that Sejusa is still in service and that he currently still represents UPDF in the House.
He however noted that the controversial General, who until April was coordinating intelligence services in the country, is risking his life by being out there in an unknown place.
Sejusa left the country quietly after authoring a controversial dossier in April, accusing President Museveni of having a plan to eliminate political and military officers who oppose a ‘Muhoozi Project’.
The project, according to Sejusa, is to have Museveni’s son, Brigadier Muhoozi Kainerugaba, succeed his father in the top office.
Angina appeared before the committee together with UPDF Chief of Legal Services Brigadier Ramathan Kyamulesire and two other technical officers in UPDF Gordon Busingye and Moses Wandera.
However, Fox Odoi, the Committee Chairperson told General Tumwine to respect the committee and the Rules of Procedure of Parliament and that as UPDF representatives in the House, they are not above the rules of Parliament.
http://bit.ly/1h68E5R

Jeje Odongo: Sejusa Absence A Threat To The Nation

http://bit.ly/1h68E5R
Uganda’s State Minister for Defense, General Jeje odongo has said the absence of renegade General David Sejusa is a threat to the security of the nation.
According to Odongo, Sejusa poses a great threat because he was the number one consumer of intelligence reports while still coordinator of Intelligence.
Odongo has also asked the country’s parliament to request the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) to replace renegade General David Sejusa.

The Renegade General David Sejusa a.k.a Tinyefuza.

While appearing before the committee on Tuesday, Odongo noted that General Sejusa is not discharging the responsibility for, which the army sent him to perform in Parliament. He said that as a constituency, they are deprived of that service and therefore requested that the committee recommends to parliament to request UPDF to send another representative.
Abdu Katuntu, the Shadow Attorney General told the Minister that his request should not only work on General Sejusa but that it should also apply to other UPDF representatives in Parliament who have missed over 15 seatings.
Odongo noted that he was not aware of any other UPDF representative who had missed 15 sittings.
Fox Odoi, the chairperson of the Rules Committee rejected Katuntu’s proposal saying other army representatives were not currently under the committee’s investigation.
However, when asked by committee members whether his ministry or UPDF had earlier constituted an investigation into why General David Sejusa had gone missing, Odongo said they had not had such a meeting.
Odongo however, told the committee that he reported the general’s absence to President Museveni after getting confirmation from the Chief of Defense Forces General Edward Katumba Wamala. He refused to disclose what was contained in his communication to the President saying that it was not formal. He said that general Sejusa’s absence required him to notify UPDF and seek authority of Chief of Defense Forces before traveling out of the country.
He also told the committee that general Sejusa has not been replaced yet in his office as Coordinator of Intelligence Services and that he has not yet been declared a deserter in UPDF but that he is considered to be Absent without Leave.
Odongo revealed that certainly General Sejusa has a case to answer in case he appears since he has been declared absent without leave (AWOL).
The General was supposed to be declared a deserter by UPDF after 4 days but Minister Odongo noted that he has not been declared so since the committee that is supposed to do so has not yet convened.
Joseph Luzige, General Ssejusa’s lawyer who was in parliament noted that general Sejusa’s responsibility is in Parliament, where he requested Parliament leave, which was granted.
He however said Sejusa does not mind whether he loses or retains his seat in Parliament but that he is interested in a fair hearing in accordance with the law.
http://bit.ly/1h68E5R

Sejusa Lawyers Given Thursday Deadline

http://bit.ly/1h68E5R

Gen David Sejusa, ARMY MP

General David Sejusa’s lawyers have been given up to Thursday this week to present a written document and evidence as to why their client can’t appear before the Rules, Privileges and Discipline committee of Parliament currently investigating his conduct.
Sejusa’s lawyers say their client will not appear physically before the committee because he fears for his safety. The lawyers suggested that the committee explores the option of Skype.
General JJ Odongo attended the session today to give the UPDF’s side as per Sejusa’s continuing absence. Odongo told the MPs that no meeting has been convened by the army council or the high command to discuss the Sejusa’s matter.
Sejusa fled to self-imposed exile in the UK after he made statements about President Yoweri Museveni’s succession plans.
Declared Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL) by the Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Katumba Wamala recently, Wamala however affirmed in a recent press interviews that Sejusa is still in the UPDF and considered a deserter facing arrest any time soon.
http://bit.ly/1h68E5R

Museveni: If Tinyefunza Wants Force Let Him Come

http://bit.ly/1h68E5R

President Yoweri Museveni.

Renegade General David Sejusa has finally been dared to effect his threats of using force to overthrow the NRM government by President Museveni. The son of Kaguta back from the United Nations general assembly and state trips in Europe on Wednesday evening told the media at a press conference at State House.

“If he wants to use force, let him come. He knows my address…We have been waiting for him for that”.
Sejusa fled to UK after he made statements about President Yoweri Museveni’s succession plans and in a June interview with the BBC in June, Sejusa vowed to use all available means to unseat President Museveni’s government, which he termed as “a life presidency transiting into a political monarchy”. The man from Rwakitura, however, moved to dispel apprehension that Gen Sejusa had caused his government any uneasiness.

That man (Sejusa) is already a deserter,” said the President. The NRM government has better projects that benefit Ugandans other than concentrating on Tinyefuza now; he is not our priority,” he added.

In April Sejusa then the coordinator of Intelligence agencies in Uganda unleashed a letter he had written to one of the spy chiefs claiming that top officials opposed to the “Muhoozi Project” were marked for elimination.

But the government and His Excellency have since denied plotting for the first Son Muhoozi Kainerugaba a serving military officer to take over from his father. “He (Muhoozi) has never stood for any post at village level how can he stand for Presidency,” Mr Museveni said on Wednesday.http://bit.ly/1h68E5R

Drama As Ssemujju Is ‘Lifted Out’ Of Parliament

http://bit.ly/1h68E5R
There was drama in the the Ugandan parliament on Wednesday afternoon after one of the country’s lawmakers, Kyadondo East MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda was physically lifted out of the house by the Sergeant-at-arms.
Ssemujju’s trouble stems from the parliamentary session during debate on the controversial Public Order Management Bill in which he was suspended for three sittings together with fellow lawmakers Odonga Otto and Theodore Sekikubo for misconduct.

Kyadondo East MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda was physically lifted out of the house by the Sergeant-at-arms.

The trio was ordered to return to the house with written apologies. The Mps vowed to maintain their stand of accessing the parliament chambers without the apology letters.
However, on Wednesday as the house debated the equally controversial Anti-pornography Bill 2011, Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanya who was chairing the session suspended the house for 10 minutes, to give Hon. Ssemujju Nganda time to move out of the house.
A defiant Ssemujju refused to leave the house forcing the Speaker to ask the sergeant at arms to order Hon. Ssemujju to leave the house.

Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanya

However, Ssemujju refused to leave the house even after the sergeant at arms asked him to leave saying;
“You can carry me if you want, I will enjoy myself, but am not leaving the house,”
It was at this point that the Speaker ordered the sergeant-at-arms to get Ssemujju out of the house.
“I hear by order the sergeant at arms to get the Hon. Member Ssemujju Nganda out of the house ” Oulanyah ordered.
There were dramatic scenes coupled with chaos as Ssemujju was physically lifted out of the house by the sergeant-at-arms.
Ssemujju later held a press conference in parliament and it was here that he accused the speaker of violating parliament rules saying he had served his suspension.
“The speaker has broken all the rules of parliament by suspending me because I already served my 3 day suspension, ” Hon. Ssemujju said.
He added saying ”There were men armed with guns accessing parliament chambers, which is illegal”
http://bit.ly/1h68E5R

MPs Condemn Ssemujju ‘Eviction’ From House

http://bit.ly/1h68E5R
Ugandan opposition and Independent Members of Parliament have condemned the humiliating manner in which one of their colleagues, Kyadondo East MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda was forced out of the parliamentary chambers following Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah’s order.

Part of MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda’s coat was torn in the scuffle to evict him from the House.

This was after Oulanyah suspended the House for 10 minutes to allow Semujju withdraw from the chambers but he refused to. Ssemujju was suspended from three sittings with other three MPs during the chaotic Public Order Management Bill and they were to return to the chambers after an apology.
Ssemuju noted that he was not surprised by Oulanyah’s action because he had already warned him during a conversation in his office. Ssemujju claims that Oulanyah promised to act mad against him for  abusing him in the media.
He added that the violence imposed on him will not deter him from defending his rights and the Constitution.
Semujju added that this is a test to Parliament’s rules of Procedure saying that Oulanyah can use this against any other member of parliament.
He alleged that he was carried by armed men who were strangers to the House and locked up in an abandoned room.
MP Sam Otada and Leader of Independent members in the House observed that Oulanyah failed to meet intellectual challenges and used physical means.
He said that Oulanyah’s actions only serve to further shame his name.
He promised to revive the petition made against Oulanyah for his conduct to be investigated.
MP Paul Mwiru representing Jinja Municipality said that the opposition are considering petitioning the Common Wealth Parliamentary Union to intervene in the conduct of the deputy speaker Oulanyah who he said is manipulating the rules of procedure.
He noted that Oulanyah let in armed men in the chambers to carry MP Ibrahim Nganda which contravenes the rules of procedure.
Meanwhile, yesterday the Leader of Opposition Nathan Nandala Mafabi formely wrote the Speaker of Parliament  about the suspension of members Ssemujju Nganda, Samuel Odonga Otto and Theodore Ssekikubo.
He noted that both Semujju and Otto had drawn his attention to a September 27th, 2013 letter written to them by the Clerk to Parliament. The letter directed the two MPs to apologise to parliament as part of the conditions of their suspension.
He noted that the letters were not copied to him as leader of opposition yet both MPs are opposition members but noted that the members were suspended under Rule 80 (4) which he said was invoked by Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah.
The rule provides that if an MP is suspended, his or her suspension on the first occasion shall be for the next three sittings, excluding the sitting in which he or she was suspended.
Mafabi letter’s noted that the members obediently served the suspension and returned to parliament under the provision of the law more than three weeks ago.
Mafabi noted in the letter that it is only under Rule 82 that a member is required to render an apology at the bar. He said that they cannot allow this precedent to be set because many will fall victim.
He noted that the Deputy Speaker as presiding officer cannot single-handedly amend the rules to serve his personal whims.

http://bit.ly/1e60HkV

Sejusa Declines To Appear Before ‘Flawed’ Parliament Committee

http://bit.ly/1e60HkV
Renegade Ugandan General David Sejusa has declined to appear before the Parliamentary Rules Committee to explain his continued absence from Parliament.

The Renegade General David Sejusa a.k.a Tinyefuza.

In a written communiqué addressed to the Chairperson of the Rules and Privileges committee, the lead Sejusa lawyer, Ladislaus Rwakafuzi says the General instructed them to communicate to Parliament that he would not appear before the committee over what he termed as a flawed process where the executive exerts undue pressure on the Speaker contrary to the Constitution.
Sejusa was until April this year one of the 10 officers representing the Uganda People’s Defence Forces—UPDF in Parliament. He has been in exile in London where he ran to in April this year after authoring a controversial letter calling for investigation into an alleged assassination attempt of top army generals opposed to a ‘Muhoozi Project.’
The project, according to Sejusa is orchestrated President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni who is allegedly grooming his son Brigadier Muhoozi Kainerugaba for presidency.
The army has since then requested the Speaker to kick Sejusa out of Parliament owing to his missing of 15 sittings but the matter was deferred to the Rules and Privileges committee which is to make a report within 10 days.
The letter dated 3rd October means that Sejusa will not appear in person before the committee. When the Committee started its work on Monday, they told indicated that they wanted SAejusa to appear in person. But his lawyers including Caleb Alaka, Laudislaus Rwakafuzi, Joseph Luzige and Mukasa Mbidde communicated that their client had requested to be heard using other channels such as Skype or tele-conferencing.
The former Co-coordinator of national Intelligence has also since formed a group called the ‘Free Uganda’ whose goal is to liberate Uganda from what he termed as ‘poor governance’ of the NRM government. On Wednesday, President Museveni addressed the media and warned Sejusa against waging war.
Sejusa has missed at least 17 sessions of parliament. The rules and privileges committee is investigating whether  Sejusa has a reasonable excuse for staying away from Parliament.
http://bit.ly/1h68E5R