MPs Don't Eat Or Drink At Functions Because They Think They Will Be Poisoned – Betty Nambooze Speaks

Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze has revealed the level of suspicion she says has taken root among Ugandans, claiming that some legislators are no longer comfortable consuming food or drinks provided during official gatherings. According to her, the fear of possible poisoning has reached Parliament, where even simple refreshments can go untouched.

Nambooze raised the concern while speaking during a parliamentary sitting on October 27, 2026. She told fellow MPs that the country was experiencing a growing poison scare, with people increasingly questioning the safety of food and drinks offered to them at public events.

She explained that the situation was not limited to social gatherings outside Parliament. Even during committee meetings, she claimed, snacks prepared for legislators sometimes remain uneaten because those present fear that somebody could have tampered with them. She said the same suspicion extends to drinking water served at functions.

The legislator's remarks exposed a deeper problem of mistrust, although she did not identify any confirmed case of poisoning involving Parliament or provide evidence that food served during its meetings had been contaminated. Her concern was that the fear itself had become a serious issue, affecting how people interact and relate to one another.

Uganda has experienced similar discussions in the past. In 2015, former intelligence coordinator Gen David Sejusa spoke about fears among senior officials, claiming that some carried their own drinking containers to meetings. In April 2022, reports also emerged that some MPs were avoiding meals at the parliamentary canteen, although parliamentary authorities dismissed the concerns and said appropriate safety measures were in place.

Nambooze went on to connect the growing suspicion to wider political divisions, warning that hostility was now affecting ordinary social relations. She questioned how a country could maintain its traditional values when people could no longer comfortably attend funerals, visit political detainees or interact with others holding different political views.

She pointed to incidents involving Information Minister Chris Baryomunsi during a prison visit and the confrontation at the burial of former Busiro South MP Charles Matovu. The debate followed Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa's proposal for a cross-party parliamentary reconciliation committee after MP Herbert Kinobere was reportedly chased away by mourners at Matovu's burial. Nambooze also questioned Parliament's failure to hold a promised debate on violence surrounding the January 2026 general elections.

The MP urged government and Parliament to look beyond individual confrontations and address the tensions building up across communities. She called on the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance and other responsible authorities to treat the situation as a national concern, warning that continued political hostility and mistrust could have serious consequences for the country.