Abiriga brought joy, laughter to Parliament-Kadaga

Speaker Rebecca Kadaga has condoled with the family of slain Arua Municipality MP Ibrahim Abiriga, saying Parliament will miss his amiable personality.
Kadaga visited MP Abiriga’s home in Kawanda, in the company of Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda, First Deputy Prime Minister Gen Moses Ali, Clerk to Parliament, Jane Kibirige and a host of Cabinet Ministers and MPs.
“Abiriga left a mark in Parliament in his own ways. He gave us so much joy and so much laughter,” said Kadaga.
“I would have been happy if I came here when he is seeing me here. I want to express our sincere condolences to the family and the neighbours,” said Kadaga.
Rugunda said MP Abiriga’s murder is an attack on the country, and vowed to bring the assailants to book.
“The attack and killing of our brother Abiriga is an attack on government, Parliament and the country. All agencies of government will ensure that the perpetrators of this crime are brought to book,” said Rugunda.
MP Abiriga was shot dead together with his bodyguard on Friday evening as he made his way home.
The assailants are still at large, with police and other security agencies combing the peri-urban area for all leads and traces to apprehend the criminals.
President Yoweri Museveni visited the scene of crime and the deceased’s home earlier on Saturday, where he described the perpetrators as “idiots” who he said will be defeated.
MP Abiriga, 62, joins the list of prominent government officials who in the recent past have died under such mysterious circumstances.
In his state of the nation address, Museveni blamed the spate of murders and kidnap of women on “urban terrorism”, singling out the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) remnants who he said are being harbored by the Democratic Republic of Congo government and United Nations peacekeepers. 
He vowed to end the cycle of murders and criminality that has rocked the city and surrounding environs.
The slain MP was instrumental in drumming up support for the controversial Constitution Amendment Act No. 2 of 2017, which removed age limits on presidential candidates.
He was an ardent admirer of President Museveni and always donned yellow attires, the official colours of his National Resistance Movement party.
He is survived by a widow, Ms Sijali Abiriga, and nine children.