Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa says he is uncomfortable imposing a deadline on the National Security Council, leaving Parliament without a clear date for a government statement on people reportedly abducted and not produced in court.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa has declined to set a deadline for the government to present a statement on people allegedly abducted and not produced in court, saying he would be uncomfortable imposing a timeline on the National Security Council.
The matter came up in Parliament after Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi questioned the delay in presenting the statement, which the government had promised within two weeks.
Tayebwa, the Ruhinda North MP, said Cabinet had directed that the statement first be presented to the National Security Council before it could be brought to Parliament.
He said the Minister of Internal Affairs was waiting for the council to meet, making it difficult for Parliament to determine when the statement would be ready.
“I would be uncomfortable giving a timeline to the National Security Council,” Tayebwa said, adding that Parliament would continue engaging the minister to ensure the matter is concluded.
However, Ssenyonyi, the Nakawa Division West MP, expressed concern over the uncertainty surrounding the statement, questioning how long Parliament and the affected families would have to wait for answers.
“I’m struggling to believe them,” he said, asking what would happen if the council took another three or six months to convene.
Ssenyonyi said the delay was particularly worrying because some people had reportedly been missing for months, with one case dating back to August 2025.
He also questioned the government’s commitment to fulfilling assurances made to Parliament, arguing that continued delays undermined public confidence.
The debate drew further concern from Ofwono Opondo, the Eastern Uganda representative for older persons and an NRM legislator.
He cited reports by activist Praise Aloikin alleging that she had been lured to a police station, taken away by people who identified themselves as members of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), and beaten.
Opondo questioned whether such incidents reflected the conduct expected under the ruling party, prompting Kabula County MP Enos Asiimwe to raise a point of order, arguing that the NRM should not be blamed for arrests.
The statement on alleged abductions was one of two outstanding government reports raised by Ssenyonyi. He also questioned the failure to present a report on charcoal-related matters that Speaker Jacob Oulanyah Oboth had directed to be submitted by October 21.
Government Chief Whip Jane Ruth Aceng urged legislators to exercise patience, explaining that the relevant ministries needed to harmonise their positions and fol