Kampala- On Wednesday, November 6, something happened in Uganda’s Parliament that no one expected. The usual business of the day came to an abrupt halt, and in its place, chaos erupted as security forces stormed the chambers, dragging MPs from their seats in a shocking display of violence.
It was 11am when Parliament suddenly went dark. The lights were switched off, signaling something was wrong. The Speaker of Parliament had just suspended twelve MPs, but what followed was far from a normal break. The moment the gavel hit, the atmosphere turned tense. Armed security officers swarmed into the building. Outside, soldiers dressed in civilian clothes were gathering near the President’s office, preparing for what was to come.
Within minutes, plainclothes security operatives entered through a small door and made their way to the chamber. As the MPs continued with their session, security barged in, pulling opposition MPs from their seats. Some MPs tried to resist, but they were dragged away, falling under chairs and struggling to break free. The MPs’ cries for help were drowned out by the shuffling of feet and the shouting of soldiers. The operation was swift but brutal.
The way these security forces acted was nothing new—it’s like a bad habit that keeps repeating itself. This wasn’t the first time security forces have invaded Parliament in this way. Just like during the “Togikwatako” saga, when opposition MPs were beaten and left with permanent injuries, including Hon. Nambooze of Mukono Municipality, this invasion showed the government’s disregard for the rights of elected representatives. When the government is threatened by bills or actions it doesn’t like, the solution seems to always be the same: intimidate and silence the opposition. The saying goes, “When the elephant walks, the grass must bow,” but this time, the grass was the MPs, being trampled by the very people meant to protect them.
As the chaos continued, the Vice-President entered the building, noticing the unusual presence of soldiers in the halls. She asked, “Why do I see so many suspicious people walking through the corridors?” But no one seemed to answer. Inside the chamber, opposition MPs were still being pulled and dragged by security, struggling for their dignity and their voices in the face of force. For 40 minutes, the operation unfolded without explanation, as MPs were taken out of the chamber through the back exits.
Afterward, MPs left the building, upset and fearful of what had just happened. They protested, declaring they couldn’t continue the session without media present, fearing the same thing would happen again without any accountability. They didn’t know where the security had come from, nor who had ordered the attack on them. All they knew was that they were under attack for doing their jobs.
This latest security invasion left the nation in shock, and many are now questioning whether Parliament has any power left. The Speaker of Parliament has yet to say anything, and no one knows who gave the order for the security to act in such a violent way. It’s clear that something is wrong when those elected to represent the people can’t even speak freely without fear of being silenced by force.
This is a worrying trend, and one that is slowly turning Parliament from a place of debate and democracy into a battleground where only those in power can stand without fear. As the saying goes, “You can fool the people for some time, but you can’t fool them forever.” The people of Uganda are watching, and they are asking, “When will this stop?”
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