Mathias Mpuuga, Leader of Opposition
The Opposition in Parliament has announced plans to stay away from the State of the Nation Address by President Museveni as a move to protest against Government’s inaction to address the skyrocketing commodity prices in the country. The State of the Nation Address is scheduled for today afternoon.
The decision by Opposition was revealed by Mathias Mpuuga, Leader of Opposition while addressing journalists at Parliament where he also added that the protest was also in response to President Museveni’s interference in the judiciary that has led to the continued incarceration of two embattled MPs Muhammad Ssegirinya and Allan Ssewanyana.
“After consultations with all party whips in the opposition, we have elected to stay away from today’s address by the president to express our displeasure with him and his government in failing to address and offer tangible practicable solutions to the conditions of the economy by evolving solutions that will help everyone out of this depression,” Mpuuga said.
The Leader of Opposition further defended the decision to boycott the ceremony, arguing that while Ugandans awaited for solutions from President Museveni on how to navigate the skyrocketing commodity prices and inflation, there were no solutions that came up and instead warned against the move to reduce taxes on fuel.
“The country waited for his address three weeks ago, in which he said he has nothing to do, and we are aware he is going to say the same thing, so we aren’t interested in dosing over that address. We have kept away as a sign of protesting his inertia in sitting down with his team to evolve a solution to the country in solving the challenges of escalating commodity prices like other governments elsewhere have done. We find his argument that there is nothing he can do unacceptable,” he said.
The Opposition also took a swipe at the Bank of Uganda’s decision to increase the Central Bank rate from 6.5% to 7.5% last week on account that while the inflationary pressure are likely to be temporary, the worsening economic outlook, uncertainty and risks ahead had motivated a revision in the CBR to contain demand pressures amid increasing demand versus subdued supply.
Mpuuga scoffed at the decision arguing that the Opposition presented to Government some measures to contain the inflation including manipulating the fiscal policy and monetary policy, arguing that the decision by Bank of Uganda works against the practicability of economics.
“The Central Bank raised the lending rate by 1point claiming they are trying to stave off runaway inflation which economics I also find problematic because the inflation we are facing isn’t demand pool, it is structural in nature and it isn’t that people have a lot of money in their pockets and therefore demanding a lot of goods which aren’t available people actually have no money in their pockets. So we are telling the president that you are sleeping on duty, we shall not accompany you,” said Mpuuga.
The Leader of Opposition also defended the boycott, accusing President Museveni of interfering with the judiciary that has led to the continued detention of both Ssegirnya and Ssewanyana who were arrested and charged with terrorism, murder and attempted murder cases.
“For his interference and public pronouncements, the judiciary is cowed and unable to do their work. We are aware that the state has been interfering with the judiciary and curtailing their independence in executing their mandate and these two members have been denied justice,” said Mpuuga.
Asked if the decision taken is unanimous among all the six opposition parties in Parliament, Mpuuga said consultations were made with all party whips but members of the Opposition are free to go to Kololo and partake of the ceremony.
“The six parties in the opposition have been dully consulted and that is the consensus. If any members attend on their own, they aren’t our prisoners, so we can’t hold anybody hostage we are communicating the joint position of the people in parliament,” said the LOP.
Responding to what the boycott is intended to achieve, Mpuuga argued that some victories are moral and not physical that all participants will go home with pay cheques.
This would be the third time Opposition in the 11th Parliament are boycotting parliament sittings with the first incidence being a protest against the kidnap, torture of Ugandans by security forces as well as the boycott on the kidnap by security forces following temporary release of Ssegirinya and Ssewanya by High Court on bail.
