The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga has denied allegations that she hired protesters to storm the High Court in Nakawa on Wednesday to demand the dismissal of the case against her.
Kadaga is battling a suit in which six opposition MPs contest the grounds on which the Speaker suspended them for seven sittings resulting in their failure vote on the recently passed Age Limit Bill.
Moments before the High Court Justice Margret Oumo Oguli referred the case to the Constitutional court, a group of people many of whom donned yellow attire rallied at court protesting the litigation.
Some held placards written on “Leave Kadaga Alone” while others defended the Speaker saying that she did nothing unconstitutional during the contentious debate.
A day later, the Judiciary issued a statement condemning the “uncivilised” and “unwarranted” actions of litigants who mobilize mobs to undermine judicial independence.
“Let the institutions work. It’s really wrong for people to go and mobilise mobs to come and frighten us to prevent us from doing our work. Whoever is promoting them is really doing a disservice to the country,” the statement by Judiciary’s Chief Registrar, Gadenya Paul Wolimbwa read in part.
But Speaker Kadaga has since denied having mobilized the group of protesters claiming she only got to learn about the incident after accusations came out.
According to the Director of Communications at Parliament, Chris Obore, when he rang the Speaker informing her about the protesters, her response was; “Who are they ? Who sent them there, please find out and let me know”.
Obore has also come out to defend Kadaga whom he says is being “smeared with dirt but it has not stuck because she [Kadaga] is not the kind that gets involved in such stunts”.
“Speaker Kadaga never knew nor sanctioned any protests in court yesterday. Those peddling such allegations are looking for ways to keep their personal vendetta against the Speaker in the media,” Obore told the press on Thursday.
He said the protesters were NRM cadres who always go for people who attack their party.
Meanwhile Kadaga has poured cold water on summons recently issued to her by court over the same court case, saying that her office is immune from such sanctions.
“I intend to inform the summoners that courts have no powers to summon me as the speaker of Parliament being the head of the second arm of government which is parliament and is given full independent powers by the constitution subject to none,” the Speaker reacted.
