Rakai Woman MP Juliet Kinyamatama has urged Parliament to suspend Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake from all parliamentary proceedings for the remainder of the term, citing alleged defamation of her character.
In response, Zaake has dismissed these accusations as diversionary tactics, urging Parliament to focus on more pressing matters rather than engaging in petty disputes.
Kinyamatama has formally requested Parliament’s Rules Committee to conduct a comprehensive mental evaluation of Zaake and to subsequently remove him from Parliament for the duration of his remaining term in the 11th Parliament.
This development stems from previous incidents, notably a probe into Zaake’s social media criticism of Speaker Anita Among when she served as deputy Speaker, for which he was found guilty of misconduct by a parliamentary committee in March 2022.
Despite a subsequent challenge in the Constitutional Court, which overturned Parliament’s decision due to procedural irregularities, concerns about Zaake’s behavior persist. Previous incidents, including clashes with the Makerere University administration during the 10th Parliament, have also raised questions about his conduct.
Zaake’s behavior towards Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe during a parliamentary inquiry into student protests in November 2019 drew criticism from then-Speaker Rebecca Kadaga. Kadaga referred Zaake to the Committee on Rules and Discipline, citing breaches of parliamentary conduct.
While the committee found Zaake’s behavior inappropriate, it stopped short of recommending punitive measures, instead emphasizing adherence to parliamentary rules and decorum.
As tensions between Kinyamatama and Zaake escalate, their dispute underscores the importance of upholding integrity within parliamentary proceedings, with calls for accountability and professionalism resonating throughout the legislative body.
