Arua Municipality MP elect, Wadri asks to be sworn in from prison

Request by Kassiano Wadri, the Arua Municipality MP elect to deputy speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanya that he be sworn in from prison, has been denied.

On Friday, Rt. Hon. Jacob Oulanya visited Kassiano Wadri, Bobi Wine, Gerald Karuhanga, Mike Mabike, and Paul Mwiru at Gulu government prison where they are currently remanded for treason.

Speaking to journalists from Gulu prison on Friday, Jacob Oulanya says Wadri requested his office to be sworn in from detention.

“I’m not ready; Parliament as well is not ready to do that. Such activity can only be done at Parliament. He will be sworn in after the matter against him is resolved,” deputy speaker said.

“If the bond they applied for is granted then he will be sworn in,” Oulanya he added.

Asked about the motive of his visits, he says it was a fact-finding visit to ascertain the health statuses of the detained Lawmakers and the general condition they are going through while in prison.

“Also, I will be having something to tell the House sitting on Tuesday [next week]. What I have seen today, they [MPs] are not in bad condition but in pain,” he added.

Mr Oulanya adds that Paul Mwiru, the Jinja East MP has got a dislocation on his shoulder, adding that he [Mwiru] had started undergoing treatment.

Conversely, he says Bobi Wine is having much pain.

This contemporary online news website has also learnt that a team of psychiatrists from Butabika hospital in Kampala and led by Dr Andama Jasper are in Gulu to ensure proper treatment of detained MPs

*Deputy speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanya addressing journalists on Friday in Gulu.*

Kassiano Wadri was declared winner of the hotly contested Arua Municipality MP seat by election, beating NRM and FDC parties’ candidates.

He polled more than 6,000 votes in an election he never voted for himself. Wadri and his colleague MPs during polling day were under security custody following a fracas two days before [Monday] where a presidential convoy was attacked by people security say were his supporters.

The MP seat fell vacant after the assassination of the then MP, Col. Ibrahim Abiriga by unknown gunmen on 8 June, 2018.