Betty Nambooze. Photo/ Courtesy
During a heated parliamentary session on Thursday, Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze criticized government officials for misrepresenting the events surrounding her 2017 assault in Parliament.
She strongly rejected suggestions that President Yoweri Museveni personally funded her medical treatment after she was injured.
Nambooze recounted the incident during the age-limit debate, in which she says she was attacked by government security operatives under the command of Frank Mwesigwa.
She said the attack left her with a broken spine, requiring urgent medical attention.
“Even a poor person in the village knows that if you get bitten by a neighbour's dog, it’s the dog’s owner who treats you. I was beaten in Parliament by the government security operatives commanded by one Frank Mwesigwa. They used taxpayers’ money to pay for my treatment after the security operatives broke my spine, and you dare to say it was Museveni’s money!” Nambooze stated.
The MP expressed frustration at officials who continue to distort the facts. She warned that attempts to politicize her ordeal or downplay the attack were unacceptable.
“If I had died, you would be the same people saying we’ve lost an irreplaceable person. You’re such bad people! There are other things you can joke about,” she added.
Her remarks drew attention to ongoing concerns about Parliamentary security and the use of public resources in handling cases of violence within government institutions.
Nambooze has previously raised similar issues, highlighting what she calls a pattern of impunity for security forces implicated in political violence.
The debate comes as the opposition continues to challenge government narratives and call for greater accountability.
Nambooze’s intervention is expected to reignite discussions on the rights and protection of lawmakers as well as the appropriate use of taxpayer funds in politically sensitive incidents.