Uganda’s First Deputy Prime Minister, Gen. Moses Ali (in featured photo) has told off MPs in the 10th Parliament to concentrate on their legislative duties and leave issues of sanctioning controversial Ugandan ambassador to Burundi, Major General Matayo Kyaligonza from duty, saying these are issues of generals and it will be the same generals to sort out the matter.
He made the remarks while responding to a concern raised by Roland Mugume, the Rukungiri Municipality MP, who asked Parliament deal with the embattled General after he slammed the House for taking a resolution to recall him from duty after he was caught on camera slapping traffic officer in Seeta recently.
Deputy Speaker, Jacob Oulanyah cautioned Mugume that as much as he had accused Kyaligonza of contempt of Parliament, there is a difference between 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; wouldn’t take it beyond that,” Oulanyah said.
However, Jonathan Odur, the Erute County South MP wondered if it wasn’t about time to have all bush war Generals undergo counseling to help them recover from their bushy mentality, arguing that Kyaligonza’s behavior isn’t unique from other bush war members.
Odur said: “He is one of the generals that went to the bush and these people were living in bush, eating bush meat. I was wondering whether coming from bush these generals were given counseling. I was proposing we take the whole set of generals and take them to counseling mentality and come back so that they leave the bush mentality.”
His proposal was rejected by Government Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa putting 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 checkup yet we have General Museveni who has spearheaded the leadership to the extent of being recognized globally …”
Gene. Moses Ali, also weighed into the matter telling 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,” Ali said.
It was then that Oulanyah reminded Odur of his civilian status amidst laughter that; “You aren’t a general, so Leave matters of generals to generals.”
