Watch: Fight erupts in Uganda's parliament

Turmoil broke out during the parliamentary session on Wednesday morning, leading Speaker Anita Among to put the debate on hold for 30 minutes. 

Confusion arose when Mitanya Municipality MP, Francis Zaake, claimed that a man with a firearm was present in the chamber, which is off-limits to non-members, referred to as strangers. “Madam Speaker, there is a firearm in the chamber. There is a gun here intended to intimidate us, and I am worried as someone who has been a victim of firearms in this chamber,” stated Zaake. 

The Speaker then asked the Sergeant at Arms to conduct a security check on the alleged individual, and it was confirmed that there was no weapon. Doubting the result, Zaake attempted to search the premises himself, which escalated into a confrontation with Amuru South MP, Anthony Akol. 

The disagreement between Zaake and Akol quickly turned into a physical brawl. The entire assembly descended into chaos, prompting the Speaker to suspend the session for 30 minutes. 

Tensions were already high on Wednesday morning as the House was preparing to vote on the controversial Coffee Amendment Bill. 

The opposition and the Buganda Caucus oppose the Bill, primarily resisting the integration of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) into the Ministry of Agriculture. 

Nevertheless, the Government has insisted that the Coffee Amendment Bill is a part of a strategy to streamline agencies to reduce unnecessary expenditures and improve service delivery.

One member of the Ugandan parliament was taken to hospital after he was punched by MP Anthony Akol.https://t.co/8ZkT7IvijO pic.twitter.com/Rrf4RThQIt

— Sky News (@SkyNews) November 6, 2024