{UAH} EXCLUSIVE: Kadaga Attacks NRM Caucus At Tanzania Summit

EXCLUSIVE: Kadaga Attacks NRM Caucus At Tanzania Summit

The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has attacked the ruling National Resistance party caucus for subduing and blocking its majority Members of Parliament from participating in robust debates in the house thus suffocating democracy.

By Dickens Honeywell Okello - Parliament 1 hour ago

Parliament Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga

Addressing thousand of participants at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) conference in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Kadaga got charged before revealing the hardships she goes through while steering debate in Parliament.

Kadaga said the ruling party has for long been arm-twisting lawmakers not to speak their mind, leading to poor performance on the floor of Parliament.

"Many times members are not able to speak freely because the caucus has given instructions which they should strictly adhere to. This doesn't mean members are incompetent but the outside control is killing the performance," said Kadaga.

The Speaker did not spare the government Chief Whip Justine Kasule Lumumba whom she accused of threatening members who deviate from the caucus position during plenary sessions.

Kadaga said if an NRM member speaks out freely, the Chief Whip usually threatens them with disciplinary action.

The ninth Parliament has on several occasions clashed with the executive but the latter has always emerged victorious apart from the rejection of the appointment of Nasser Ntege Ssebagala, James Kakooza and Saleh Kamba as ministers.

The relationship between the legislature and government worsened in late 2012 when Buteleja woman legislator Cerinah Nebanda died mysteriously at a local clinic in a Kampala suburb.

Several MPs who accused government of killing the lawmaker were arrested and questioned.

 

Kadaga's outburst in a foreign country is likely to renew bad blood between government and Parliament. 

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Gwokto La'Kitgum

"Even a small dog can piss on a tall Building", Jim Hightower

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