“I won’t apologize without evidence,” says Speaker Among on alleged anti-Buganda remarks as Parliament passes Coffee Bill after suspending 12 opposition MPs

Speaker of Parliament Anita Among has vowed not to apologize to Buganda until documentary evidence is presented in Parliament proving that she made discriminatory remarks targeting Baganda during last week’s heated debate on the National Coffee Amendment Bill, 2024.

Her remarks came in response to concerns raised by Leader of the Opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi, who called on the Speaker to recuse herself from considering the National Coffee Bill due to a conflict of interest.

Speaker Among declined to recuse herself, arguing that the rule on conflict of interest applies to Members of Parliament but not to the presiding officer.

Regarding the alleged tribal remarks, she claimed she was misquoted.

“This House is a House of record, and as the custodian of the Rules of Procedure, I urge that if anyone believes I made the statements alleged by the Leader of the Opposition, they should bring documentary evidence and lay it on the table. If it’s proven that I said what he claims, I will apologize to this country and those affected. But until then, since it isn’t true, I will not apologize,” the Speaker asserted.

Meanwhile, Parliament passed the National Coffee Amendment Bill, 2024, with amendments, approving the abolition of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), whose functions will now be transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture.

The Speaker announced that 305 MPs were physically present for the plenary session when this decision was made.

Before the bill’s passage, there was a physical altercation between Kilak North MP Anthony Akol and Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake. Zaake had raised concerns about the presence of security operatives in the plenary, and when he returned to his seat, he attempted to remove Akol from it, prompting Akol to respond with punches.

The sitting was suspended for 30 minutes. When it resumed, the Speaker suspended 12 MPs. The lights were switched off as security operatives forced out the suspended MPs out of the chamber.

The suspended MPs, all from the opposition, include Anthony Akol (Kilak North), Wakayima Musoke (Nansana Municipality), Aloysius Mukasa (Rubaga South), Charles Tebandeke (Bbaale County), Francis Zaake (Mityana Municipality), Isiah Sassaga (Budadiri East), Asinansi Nyakato (Hoima City), Derrick Nyeko (Makindye East), Frank Kabuye (Kassanda South), Evans Kanyike (Bukoto East), Shamim Malende (Kampala City), and Susan Mugabi (Buvuma DWR).

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