In a recent parliamentary scuffle, a place known for its decorum and honourability, some female legislators made headlines as they attempted to confront Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake over alleged defamatory statements against one of their colleagues.
The dramatic incident began when Juliet Ssubi Kinyamatama, the woman representative for Rakai District, accused Zaake of making deplorable statements against her. She demanded that the video evidence be presented, and after it was played, the presiding officer, Thomas Tayebwa, referred Zaake to the Rules and Disciplinary Committee.
For a moment, it seemed that the matter was resolved, and the House moved on to other business. However, the charged female legislators, including Kinyamatama, were not contented to proceed with the scheduled agenda, which was a statement by State Minister for Internal Affairs Gen David Muhoozi about incidents involving security and National Unity Platform (NUP) leaders. Instead, they confronted Zaake as he left the chambers.
Tempers flared as Zaake’s colleagues from the opposition hurriedly escorted him out of the parliamentary chambers and into the parking area beneath the Parliament building. A stunned Tayebwa had no choice but to adjourn the House to Tuesday, October 17, 2023, with the Deputy Speaker declaring, “Honorable colleagues, the House is adjourned to Tuesday at 2 p.m.”
Even after the adjournment, Kinyamatama insisted that Zaake should not be allowed back into the House, arguing that his conduct was unworthy of a representative of constituents. She declared, “Whether we go to the Rules [Committee] or not, we don’t want Zaake in our House anymore. He is not deserving of being a full representative of human beings and a member of Parliament.”
So, who is Juliet Kinyamatama?
Juliet Kinyamatama Suubi is a woman politician born in central Uganda on December 22, 1988, in Masaka-Rakai, which is now a fully-fledged district known as “Rakai.”
Her educational journey saw her attend Ronald Ruta Primary School in Lyantonde, where she completed her primary education in 2001. In 2005, she finished her Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) at Valley College in Bushenyi, and in 2008, she completed her advanced secondary education.
In 2012, she graduated from Uganda Christian University with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and Social Administration. In 2013, she earned a certificate in Global Health from the University of Geneva.
Juliet Kinyamatama Suubi entered politics in 2011 when she was elected as the district woman representative in the parliament for Rakai district. She was re-elected for a second term in the 2016 Uganda General elections and secured a third term in the 2021 Uganda General elections. She campaigned as an independent political candidate after losing in the National Resistance Movement (NRM) primaries.
Notably, in 2021, she was among the junior members of Parliament who declared their bids to contest for the position of Speaker of Parliament, garnering considerable attention. Juliet Kinyamatama Suubi has been married to Bravo Ronnie Katungi for four years.
She is one of the MPs who supported the removal of the age limit, and she was once quoted as saying, “I support the removal of the age limit because I know what is best for my rural constituents. You see, the problem with the town elite, especially those on social media, is that we don’t seem to appreciate why peasant communities vote the way they vote and why they choose to support what they support.”
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