Kampala, (UG):- Kilak North MP Anthony Akol has demanded that Mityana Municipality MP, Hon Francis Zaake apologizes to him after the scuffle in which the two legislators were engaged in a fist-fight during Wednesday’s plenary session before the passing of the National Coffee Bill, 2024.
Akol, who subscribes to the opposition FDC (Forum for Democratic Change) rained punches on NUP’s Zaake (NUP) as the two fought over seat which the latter claimed was occupied by him before he stood up to make a submission to the Speaker only to return when the former had occupied it.
Following the scuffle, Mr Zaake was rushed to the Mother Kevin Private wing of Nsambya Hospital in Kampala where he has been undergoing treatment for pain that resulted from the punches directed on his head.
But in his first public interview about the circumstances under which he punched his colleague, Akol told NTV-Uganda that he does not understand why his colleague provoked him.
“I left my home on Wednesday, to attend Parliament, and from nowhere, I was attacked, an attack I cannot explain because I was sitted and the man came and started telling me to leave the seat. That is where I used to sit with the late Honorable Cecilia Ogwal (former Dokolo Woman Representative),” Mr Akol said, clarifying that for shadow ministers like Mr Zaake, their seats are usually reserved at another front location, within the Parliament chambers.
“Zaake is a shadow cabinet minister, in charge of the Presidency and knows where to sit, in front, and it does not make sense to me why he came and wanted me to leave that particular place and to make matters worse, he was pushing me. It is unfortunate what happened, it is something I am not happy about because that is not how leaders should portray [themselves] in Uganda,” he said.
The Kilak North MP said perhaps his colleague’s confrontation was a wrong transfer of aggression since the atmosphere was already tense due to the ongoing deliberations of the Coffee Bill.
“But I am not even surprised [about the turnout of events] because the man was charged. When he was leaving the floor [after making his submission], he was [making gestures of] blows. It was a wrong transfer of aggression. Maybe he wanted to attack the Speaker? So why was he busy punching the air? Unfortunately, he targeted the wrong person,” he said.
Asked if fighting Zaake was a solution to the conflict, Akol insisted that what happened was only a reflex action, although he doesn’t regret what he did to his opposition counterpart and that he demands an apology from him.
“When you are attacked, you respond and that is what happened,” Mr Akol said, adding, “I am actually expecting an apology from Honorable Zaake, being someone younger than me, he is the age of my children. It is not right at all especially in an African setting when an adult is sitting [and he did what he did].”
“There was no need for him to push me when there was space near me. It was not making sense at all, so, why should I apologise?” he emphasized.
However, in an earlier interview with DailyMonitor, Hon Zaake revealed how it was Akol who misbehaved by punching him several times and added that he did not fight his colleague back because of his bigger stature, being a fellow Opposition Member and him [Zaake] is already portrayed as a bad person in the House and therefore, did not want to soil his reputation further.
This website understands that Zaake was discharged on Saturday morning, November 9 and has, through his lawyers of Lukwago & Co. Advocates headed by Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, made intentions to sue Mr Akol for assault and battering.
But Akol said he is not moved and asked him to proceed to file the case in court. “Personally, I don’t want to go to court. Why should I? There is no sense in it. But let him go ahead. In a court of law, that is where we can resolve issues,” he said.
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