Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has criticized opposition lawmakers for their repeated walkouts from Parliament as a way to express dissatisfaction with the government. During the October 19, 2023 Plenary session, Nabbanja argued that these walkouts are primarily for show, driven by the rising political tensions in the country, and an attempt to impress their constituents. She added that these opposition lawmakers have a mission to destabilize the government, which will not be tolerated.

Nabbanja’s remarks were made in response to the third walkout by opposition legislators in two weeks. On October 19, 2023, the opposition MPs left Parliament after the government failed to address their concerns, including the November 2020 riot deaths, political prisoners, arrested Muslim clerics, and cases of detention without trial, among other issues.

Mathias Mpuuga, the leader of the opposition, declined to comment on Nabbanja’s statement, dismissing her as “professionally unserious.”

The pattern of walkouts began on October 10, 2023, when opposition MPs, led by Hon. Muwanga Kivumbi, left Parliament after being denied the opportunity to hear from the government about the arrests of NUP leaders and supporters on Independence Day. On October 18th, Mathias Mpuuga led another walkout, citing the clerk of Parliament’s alleged failure to play a video showing police mistreatment of their supporters. The most recent walkout occurred on October 19, 2023, after the state minister for internal affairs, Gen. David Muhoozi, stated that he had no comment on their grievances.