Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs Balaam Barugahara has revealed that his move to push for the release of jailed National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters was an honor to a request by Speaker Anita Among.
Balaam said on Wednesday, during his maiden plenary session, that Speaker Among asked him to talk Museveni into releasing NUP supporters when he appeared before the parliamentary appointments committee for vetting.
“When I was in the appointments committee, the speaker, Anitah Among, asked me to speak to the President to ensure that National Unity Platform supporters are released, and the President, in his own voice and video, said, Give me the list,” Balaam said.
He added that he requested the list of jailed NUP supporters from the party leaders so that he could fast-track their release from prison.
However, Joel Ssenyonyi (LOP) said the matter of jailed NUP supporters had already been discussed in parliament, and a list had been forwarded to the concerned authorities for follow-up, but nothing had been done about it up to date.
“We discussed in this very Parliament issues of missing persons, some of whom disappeared, and people who are in jail irregularly. Some missing persons whom the Prime Minister acknowledged are in the hands of the state, like John Bosco Kibalama, and we tabled that list here in Parliament,” he said.
He added, “We gave it to the Attorney General, court is processing many of these matters, and we have asked that they be released on bail because this isn’t prosecution but persecution.”
Ssenyonyi further said it is not in order for a new minister (Balaam) to claim he has the mandate to pursue a matter involving people who are simply being persecuted as opposed to being prosecuted.
President Museveni said last week he was open to a discussion aimed at releasing some of the NUP supporters and asked for a list detailing where they are being detained.