A section of Members of Parliament has said that it’s unfortunate that there are people with a belief that political differences can only be solved by elimination through giving poison.
The issue of poison in the political sphere was reignited following claims by Nathan Okori that his son the late Speaker Jacob Oulanyah was poisoned.
His claim was also supported by the Vice Chairperson for NRM in Buganda Godfrey Kiwanda Ssubi.
Yet it is not the first-time politicians who are claiming to have been targets of poison.
Kira Municipality Legislator Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda told Endigyito radio that in 2004, Ben Wacha, the then MP for Oryam South, claimed that an attempt had been made to poison him, Jack Sabiiti and Gen Mugisha Muntu, at the parliamentary canteen.
Ssemujju said Wacha claimed a flask containing poisoned tea had already been served to Gen. Muntu and Jack Sabiiti but they only survived after being alerted by a waitress.
On May 4th, 2018 during a plenary sitting the former state minister for Primary Health Care Dr. Joyce Moriku Kaducu advised legislators to take precaution saying her six-months long illness in Nairobi was a result of poison.
Kaducu’s submission followed remarks by Dokolo Woman legislator Cecilia Ogwal who expressed worry about the increasing fear of poisoning of legislators. She too advised fellow legislators to be cautious.
In the 9th Parliament, it was reported that former Speaker Rebecca Kadaga survived powder poison that had been put in an envelope.
According to some legislators, the poison scare has led some politicians to evade taking Holy Communion in church in addition to using separate microphones at public functions.
However, commissioner of Parliament Solomon Silwany, dismissed all these claims saying parliament is the safest place for legislators to have their meals because there are mechanisms in place to protect them.
Silwany said politicians who have survived poison must not be at Parliament adding that those that have been poisoned it has happened outside the precincts of Parliament.
