KAMPALA – General Moses Ali has told off legislators in the 10th Parliament to concentrate on their legislative duties and leave issues of sanctioning controversial Ugandan ambassador to Burundi, H.E Matayo Kyaligonza from duty, saying these are issues of generals and it will be the same generals to sort out the matter.
The First Deputy Prime Minister’s remarks were in response to concern raised by Mr. Roland Mugume (Rukungiri Municipality) who asked Parliament to deal with the embattled General after he slammed Parliament for taking a resolution to recall him from duty after he was allegedly caught on camera slapping a female traffic officer in Seeta, Mukono recently.
Deputy Speaker, Jacob Oulanyah cautioned Mr. Mugume that as much as he had accused Mr. Kyaligonza of contempt of Parliament, it is different from disrespect of Parliament because if someone decides to abuse Parliament, that doesn’t amount to contempt of Parliament.
“Some of the things don’t define what we are. We know what we are, what we do. If somebody called me a fool, I would look at them and smile. I wouldn’t take it beyond that,” Mr. Oulanayh said.
However, Mr. Jonathan Odur wondered if it wasn’t about time to have all bush war Generals undergo counselling to help them recover from their bushy mentality, arguing Kyaligonza’s behaviour isn’t unique from other bush war members.
Mr. Odur said: “He is one of the generals that went to the bush and these people were living in the bush, eating bush meat. I was wondering whether (while) coming from bush these generals were given counselling. I was proposing we take the whole set of (bush) generals and take them to counselling mentality and come back so that they leave the bush mentality.”
His proposal was rejected by Government Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa who put Mr. Odur to order arguing: “I was wondering whether the MP who has been holding the floor to insinuate that all the Generals who went to the bush require medical check-up yet we have General Museveni who has spearheaded the leadership (of this country) to the extent of being recognized globally are mentally wanting, therefore, attract medical attention.”
The deputy premier also weighed into the matter telling Mr. Odur that he is wrong to say Generals need medical attention: “He isn’t a general. I don’t think he has that ability to assess since he isn’t a general.”
It was then that Mr. Oulanyah reminded Mr. Odur of his civilian status amidst laughter that: “You aren’t a general. So leave matters of generals to generals.”
