Today afternoon, Parliament debated the controversial event of Maj. Gen. Matayo Kyaligonza and his bodyguards assaulting traffic police officer Sgt. Esther Namaganda last weekend. And the main direction of the of the discussion on the floor of the August House had most MPs who took to the microphone calling for disciplinary action against the retired Major General.
The female legislators, under their umbrella of Uganda Women‘s Parliamentary Association (UWOPA) and through the association’s chairperson , Pamela Nasiyo, tabled a motion on the alleged assault of the traffic officer by Maj. Gen. Matayo Kyaligonza, calling upon the President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to theNRA/M historical from Burundi where he is serving as the AMbassodar.
“How do you insult a police Officer on duty moreover in uniform? This lady should even be promoted to the level of Assistant Inspector of Police”, said Hon. MbwatekwamwaGafa
The Eastern Woman Member of Parliament representing the disabled , Hon. Hellen Asamo, said touching a woman’s body is against the law in Uganda and condemned the actions of the general and his bodyguards, saying it is more evidence that women in Uganda are underlooked and regularly mistreated on duty.
Dokolo Member of Parliament, Hon Paul Amoru, threw another spanner in the works when he revealed that the general locked out members of tuGANDA’S Parliamentary Accounts Committee in Burundi when they had gone to carry out their oversight work. Amoru went on to suggest that on top of resigning, the General should be stripped off of his rank.
While the soroti member of Parliament, Hon. Herbert Edmund Ariko, PROPOSED THAT the General be interdicted according to the code of conduct of the Public Service.
“If there issues under which Public Officers should resign, this is one of them. Kyaligonza carries a title of His Excellency that makes the case grave for a man of his caliber. This parliament ought to call Kyaligonza to resign ,”emphasized the ButambalaMp , Hon. Muhammad Kivumbi.
All this took place after the Minister of Internal Affairs, Gen. Jeje Odongo, was questioned about the incident of assault involving Maj. Gen. Matoya Kyaligonza and his bodyguards. The Minister said that the two UPDF soldiers Corporal Bushindiki and Private Okurut John Robert have been arrested and detained at Makindye Military Police Headquarters.
When questioned whether any action is going to take on Kyaligonza, Gen. Odongo said the ambassador has been summoned by Police to make a statement that will be used to process this matter to its logical conclusion .
“Will Kyaligonza join his bodyguards who have been arrested at Makindye Police Headquarters”, asked the Opposition Chief Whip , Hon. Ssemujju Nganda
According to Odongo, the incident is regrettable and no act of indiscipline by members of the security agencies will be tolerated.
