Rakai District’s Woman Member of Parliament, Juliet Kinyamatama, has urged Parliament’s Rules, Privileges, and Discipline Committee to conduct a comprehensive mental check up on Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake. Kinyamatama proposed Zaake’s expulsion from Parliament for the remaining two and a half years of his term in the 11th Parliament, citing concerns about his behavior both within and outside the parliamentary premises.
Appearing before the Committee, Kinyamatama emphasized the need for Zaake to issue an unambiguous apology to Parliament, retracting the defamatory statements he made against her during a rally in her constituency. She expressed distress over allegations implying her involvement in criminal offenses, particularly prostitution, and highlighted the profound impact on her public image.
The cross-examination took a dramatic turn when Zaake’s lawyer, Elias Lukwago, questioned Kinyamatama about the allegations of prostitution, prompting her to clarify that she is not a prostitute. Lukwago also pressed her to distinguish between her name and the one mentioned in the video clip, leading to an escalation of tensions and Lukwago’s eventual exit from the Committee.
Francis Zaake, a Ugandan businessman and Member of Parliament representing Mityana Municipality in the 11th Parliament, transitioned from being an independent candidate to joining the National Unity Platform (NUP) in late 2020. He secured victory in the 2021 general election on the NUP ticket but faced parliamentary expulsion in March 2022 due to misconduct, following a secret ballot.
Zaake’s political journey began at Ndejje University, where he served as the Student’s Guild President for the academic year 2015/2016. He played a significant role in the People Power Movement, advocating for change alongside Bobi Wine during the 2016 parliamentary elections.
Notably, Zaake faced adversity during the Arua Municipality by-elections in 2018, sustaining severe injuries after being assaulted by Uganda Police officials and the military. Seeking medical treatment in India, he later faced charges of treason while still recovering from the assaults perpetrated by Uganda’s security forces.
Despite winning the Mityana Municipality parliamentary seat in the 2021 general election, Zaake’s parliamentary role as a Commissioner representing opposition MPs was short-lived due to his expulsion over misconduct. The expulsion followed an investigation into social media statements disparaging the then Deputy Speaker, Anita Among, after the passing of the then Speaker, Jacob Lokori Oulanyah.
Zaake’s activism extended to humanitarian efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to his arrest in April 2020 for distributing relief items to his neighbors in Mityana District. The arrest was based on alleged violations of COVID-19 measures and guidelines set by the national task force led by then-Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda regarding food distribution to vulnerable communities in Uganda.
