Erias Lukwago, the legal counsel representing Francis Zaake, the Member of Parliament for Mityana Municipality, has voiced astonishment regarding the prolonged investigation into allegations of misconduct and insult leveled against Rakai District Woman MP, Juliet Kinyamatama, by Honorable Zaake.
In response to the allegations, Juliet Kinyamatama, the Rakai District Woman MP, has urged Parliament’s Rules, Privileges, and Discipline Committee to conduct a thorough mental evaluation of MP Francis Zaake. She has also proposed his expulsion from Parliament for the remainder of his term in the 11th Parliament, which spans two and a half years.
During her testimony before the Committee, which has recently resumed its investigation into claims that Zaake made derogatory remarks against her during a rally in her constituency the previous year, Kinyamatama put forward several requests. She insisted that Parliament compel Zaake to issue a clear apology before the assembly and retract the defamatory statements made in a video clip.
Expressing her dissatisfaction, Kinyamatama stated, “Zaake implied that I am involved in the criminal offense of prostitution, as per sections 139 of the penal code act, punishable by imprisonment for up to seven years. This is intolerable and derogatory towards any woman in this day and age to be labeled as a sex worker. Hon. Zaake’s statements subjected me to public ridicule, hatred, and mockery. They were extremely demeaning and humiliating, especially coming from a fellow member of parliament.”
In response to Kinyamatama’s allegations, Zaake appeared before the Rules Committee once again to confront two witnesses presented by Kinyamatama. One of the witnesses admitted that the accusations against Zaake were unfounded.
The second witness, the Coordinator of Makerere University’s School of Languages, responsible for translating the alleged comments into English, admitted that the translation was inaccurate and based on false assumptions.
Zaake remains prepared for further proceedings as he is scheduled to appear before the Committee again tomorrow, maintaining his resilience with the affirmation, “This, too, shall pass.”
