Coffee Bill Chaos in Ugandan Parliament: 12 MPs Suspended, MP Zaake Rushed to Hospital

Uganda’s Parliament was thrown into chaos during a heated plenary session over the controversial Coffee Bill. Tensions reached a boiling point, resulting in the suspension of 12 Members of Parliament and the hospitalization of MP Francis Zaake following a violent scuffle in the chambers. 

https://twitter.com/ntvuganda/status/1854098079286235465

Francis Zaake, the MP for Mityana Municipality, was taken to the hospital following a brawl that broke out during the plenary session in the @Parliament_Ug chambers. 
This comes after Mr. Zaake sparked concerns about insecurity in the House chambers suggesting that some non-MPs had brought guns into the building.

The uproar began when Zaake raised serious security concerns, claiming that individuals, not MPs, had entered the House with firearms, escalating an already charged debate surrounding the bill.

A fight broke out between Kilak North MP Anthony Akol and his Mityana Municipality counterpart, Francis Zaake after the latter tried to shove the former off a seat he had momentarily vacated to make a point of order on the floor.

Moments later, Zaake was seen being wheeled into a waiting ambulance to be evacuated to hospital for treatment.

When the Speaker returned moments later, she read a list of 12 MPs she said would not be allowed to attend plenary for three consecutive sittings because of misconduct.

The MPs are; Akol, Zaake, Wakayima Musoke, Aloysius Mukasa, Charles Tebandeke., Isaiah Ssasaga, Asinansi Nyakato, Derrick Nyeko, Frank Kabuye, Ronald Evan Kanyike, Susan Mugabi and Shamim Malende.