Shame As ; Speaker Flees Chambers After MPs Fought over a seat
A physical confrontation erupted in Uganda’s Parliament as two lawmakers, Francis Zaake and Anthony Akol, fought over a disputed seat, leading to a commotion that halted parliamentary proceedings and forced the suspension of 12 Members of Parliament.
The incident unfolded when Zaake, who had briefly vacated his seat to raise a point of order, returned to find Akol occupying it. Initial efforts to reclaim his seat diplomatically soon escalated into a physical altercation, with viral videos capturing Akol repeatedly striking Zaake, even knocking him to the ground.
As tensions flared, Speaker of Parliament Anita Among had to exit the chambers for her own safety, watching the disorder unfold from outside. In a turn of events, Zaake was later seen being taken out of the chamber on a stretcher and transferred to a hospital for medical treatment.
After returning to the chambers, Speaker Among announced the suspension of 12 MPs involved in the incident, citing “disruptive behavior.” The suspended lawmakers include Zaake, Akol, Wakayima Musoke, and Aloysius Mukasa, who are now barred from attending three consecutive parliamentary sessions.
This altercation comes in the wake of escalating tension, as Zaake had earlier raised concerns about unauthorized individuals carrying firearms within Parliament’s chambers. Speaker Among addressed these claims, explaining that the individual Zaake referred to was her bodyguard and confirming that no firearms were found after a thorough search.
In light of the recent turmoil, security measures in Parliament have been bolstered, with MPs now subject to increased checks before entering the building to prevent further incidents.
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Shame As ; Speaker Flees Chambers After MPs Fought over a seat
