Ssemujju calls for a two-week suspension of parliament
Ssemujju argues that when a government is involved in crimes of an industrial scale like the Karamoja iron sheets saga, government officials, like the Prime Minister who is implicated, loses the moral authority to stand on the floor of parliament until investigations are over.
Kira Municipality Member of Parliament Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda has asked the Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among to suspend parliament for two weeks until the Committee on Presidential Affairs presents a report on the iron sheets saga.
According to Ssemujju, when a government is involved in crimes of an industrial scale, that government’s ability to deliver any services is curtailed, especially in this case where some cabinet officials starting from the Prime Minister are involved in the disappearance of iron sheets for Karamoja.
He noted that it would be improper for such a government to come to the flow of parliament and discuss any matters.
He, therefore, implored the Speaker to suspend parliament noting that no one will die if parliament takes its time to handle the matter of theft of property given to the people of Karamoja.
The Speaker declined to suspend parliament. She instead asked MPs to allow the Committee on Presidential Affairs to look into the iron sheets saga at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and present their report to Parliament.
Members of the Karamoja Parliamentary Group on 15th February 2023 petitioned parliament alleging that mismanagement of items meant for the vulnerable communities of Karamoja.
Charmar News has learnt that OPM suspended the distribution of iron sheets on Friday across the country after theft and abuse in the process of distribution were detected.
By the time of suspension, 84,697 of the 173,665 iron sheets procured had been distributed leaving a balance of more than 88,000 iron sheets.
