The speaker of parliament Jacob Oulanya has told legislators that there is nothing much parliament can do to protect the legislators who were remanded to Kitalya government prison for their alleged involvement in the on going murders in greater Masaka region.
Kiira municipality member of parliament Ibrahim Ssemuju Nganda on Wednesday asked parliament to intervene following the arrest of the Makindye West MP Allan Ssewanyana and Kawempe North representative Mohammad Ssegirinya who were named by suspects that they were allegedly commanding panga wielding criminal gangs killing people.
According to MP Nganda the matter of jailed legislators touches the privileges and protection of members of parliament and asked Oulanya as the leader of the institution to take steps to offer help to the two MPs, so that they can overcome the challenges they are going through now.
But in his response , Speaker Oulanya said that the privileges of parliament have limitations ; they only protect members on the speeches and actions made in parliament and not on acts made outside parliament.
``Once those processes have started taking place and they are moving on we cannot interfere as parliament.’’ said Oulanya. The speaker added that " if there is evidence they will be produced in court and if there is no evidence the case will collapse on its own weight."
The MPs are charged with three counts of murder and attempted murder, offenses they allegedly committed on August 23 this year at Ssetaala and Ssenya villages located in Kimanya-Kabonera division in Masaka city.
They are jointly charged with Bruno Wamala and John Mugera who according to prosecution are accomplices in the murders.
