Mityana Municipality legislator, Francis Zaake, has furiously spoken about Thursday’s raid at his home by security which seized his official vehicle Reg. Number UG 0333H belonging to the Parliamentary Commission.
He got the car as an entitlement at the time his political party, National Unity Platform (NUP) appointed him to the Parliamentary Commission.
Chris Obore, the Director Communications, Parliament, said the raid was done by parliament police acting on the directives of the Clerk to Parliament after he (Zaake) allegedly refused to return the car despite several reminders.
Now, in an exclusive interview with Plus News, Zaake who is out of the country for medical review, described the act as illegal and unfortunate spearheaded by “evil and selfish” people leading Parliament.
He says he is still a Commissioner of Parliament since his case in Court in which he challenges his censure is yet to be decided, noting that taking away his entitlements now is done in total disgard of the law.
“Those people are very evil especially the leader of Parliament who commanded her own guards from Counter Terrorism to raid my residence. Indeed they did on Thursday when I was away and got hold of my vehicle of the Parliamentary Commission disregarding the case in the Court where I challenged my removal from the Commission,” MP Zaake told Plus News on Friday.
“When you challenge any decision in court, the status quo must be maintained until a decision is made, and so, until then, I am still a Commissioner designated by my political party, the National Unity Platform (NUP),” Zaake added.
It should be recalled that in March last year, parliament voted to remove Zaake from the commission on grounds of misconduct. In a secret ballot conducted out of 161 members of Parliament, 155 MPs voted to remove Zaake from the Parliament Commission while only four MPs voted against the proposal to remove Zaake. There were two invalid votes registered.
Later, the new Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, said Zaake would apologise to the House within one week adding that the Opposition will have to propose another name for the position.
However, the youthful legislator did not apologize but instead petitioned Court challenging his removal from parliamentary commission.
Through his lawyers led by the Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, Zaake said that parliament had no quorum to have him removed from the commission. He wants the court to nullify parliament’s decision and order for his reinstatement as Commissioner of Parliament. Court is yet to deliver judgment on the matter.
“I was censured illegally, they did not follow the law and the matter is in court awaiting judgment. It is very unfortunate that they didn’t wait for it,” says Zaake.
He has further accused the Speaker of Parliament of what he called misuse of power and taking the law in her hands.
“It is very ugly of the leadership of Parliament that they can treat me like this. They are misusing power, Anita Among is misusing power, she thinks she is above the law, or perhaps she thinks she has a lot of powers in being the Speaker of Parliament to the extent that she can do all those nasty things on her own members”
“It is very unfortunate of her. She is not the first one in that office and she is not the last, many have been there, time will come and she will go like the previous Speakers. She should behave and respect the the office she is occupying,” Zaake added.
Money and birthday gift
The unshakable legislator who accused the raiders of stealing sums of money in the car as well as several documents therein, says he was saddened that such a treatment is the birthday gift his speaker of Parliament extended to her.
“That is the birthday gift I received from Anita Among. The gift of raiding my home and doing nasty things – she is doing all the worst things on me and I don’t know what will happen next to me and my family,” Zaake said.
He revealed that his lawyers of Lukwago and company advocates, are currently handling the matter and have since gone to court to follow up, and also seek for an immediate redress under the circumstances.
It should be noted that Zaake’s removal came after Parliament also adopted the report of the Committee of Rules, Discipline and Privileges with amendments presented by Chairperson, Abdu Katuntu.
The vote followed debate of the report of the committee that found Zaake in breach of public trust and confidence. Zaake was probed for statements he allegedly made on social disparaging the then Deputy Speaker, Anita Among.
During plenary sessions to honour Parliament and staff who had participated in the East African Legislative Assembly Games in Arusha, Tanzania the Deputy Speaker Among said although Zaake was reportedly tortured and had a broken leg, he brought back a gold medal for Parliament.
This, interpreted as a mockery, prompted Zaake to allegedly go on social media where he authored the statements for which he was found guilty.
In his report, Abdu Katuntu said that Zaake did not protect the integrity of Parliament but instead his conduct brought the entire Parliament and its leadership into disrepute.
Katuntu said that the statement with undermined the dignity and integrity of the Office of the Speaker.
He added that Zaake’s statements lowered the esteem of the institution of Parliament in the eyes of the citizens who ought to look up to their leaders.
“Following an evaluation of the submissions and evidence, the committee observes that Hon. Zaake did not take steps as provided in the Rules of Procedure to challenge the words of the Presiding Officer which allegedly led him to post the impugned social media posts. This is clearly so upon examining his statements made to the committee,” he said in his report.
Hon Zaake instead accused the Rules Committee members of receiving Shs 6m each worth taxpayers money as a reward for participating in the Committee proceedings that resulted in his “illegal” removal from office.