The National Unity Platform (NUP) has made a significant decision to replace Nyendo-Mukungwe MP Mathias Mpuuga with Mityana MP Francis Zaake as a Commissioner of Parliament. This resolution was reached by the NUP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) on Friday.
The move to oust Mpuuga from the Parliamentary Commission follows a series of events, including allegations of corruption and abuse of office within Parliament. Speaker Anita Among’s decision to block debate on these claims further fueled the controversy surrounding Mpuuga’s position.
Speculation now arises regarding whether Speaker Among’s administration will comply with the NUP’s recommendation to remove Mpuuga from the Commission and install Francis Zaake in his place.
Mpuuga’s involvement in allegedly accepting a 500 million shillings “Service Award” from the Parliamentary Commission has cast a shadow over his tenure. This award is part of the larger controversy involving the irregular allocation of 1.7 billion shillings to Parliamentary Commissioners, which allegedly benefited both opposition and ruling party members.
In a statement signed by the Acting Party President, Dr Lina Zedriga Waru, the party resolved to recall Mpuuga from the Commission after he allegedly failed to provide any satisfactory explanation of why he should not be recalled after allegedly engaging in the irregular allocation.
“The National Executive Committee of the National Unity Platform sat today to consider the response by Hon. Mathias Mpuuga to the accusation that he engaged in acts of corruption and abuse of office when he together with NRM Parliamentary Commissioners irregularly allocated themselves 1.7 billion shillings as service awards in a meeting chaired by Ms Anita Among,” Zedriga said in the statement.
statement.
“Although he responded to NEC’s request to show cause why he should not be recalled from the parliamentary commission, he didn’t provide any satisfactory explanation for engaging in this grave action which goes against the mission, values, and objectives of the party. In particular, he did not make any attempt to respond to the specific accusations levelled against him. In Light of this, NEC has resolved to recall Hon, Mathias Mpuuga from the parliamentary commission on account of corruption, dishonesty, and abuse of office, and to notify parliament on the same.” added Zedriga.
The party further resolved to nominate Mityana Municipality Mp Francis Zaake Butebi to replace Mpuuga as parliament commissioner.
“His nomination was informed by the fact that he was illegally removed from that role in March 2022 to pave the way for the gran corrupt and questionable dealings of the parliamentary commission that have now come to light.” reads part of the statement.
Mpuuga was nominated to to the Parliamentary Commission on December 2023 to Francis Zaake who had been sacked for alleged indiscipline based on a report by the Rules, Discipline, and Privileges Committee chaired by Abdu Katuntu.
The Court of Appeal had ruled that Zaake should be reinstated as commissioner but the Parliament through the Attorney General filed an appeal which is yet to be disposed of.
Mpuuga’s appointment as a commissioner was publicly seen as a demotion since was losing his position as Leader of the Opposition which he had held for the previous two and half years. He was replaced with Nakawa West MP Joel Ssenyonyi.
Documents shared during the online protest led by Makerere Don, Dr. Spire Ssentongo, and other activists using the hashtag #Uganda Parliament Exhibition implicated Mpuuga in receiving 500 million shillings of the said 1.7 billion shillings.
Although Mpuuga was subsequently advised by the NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine to apologize to the public and step down from the parliament commission, Mpuuga rejected the call arguing that it was based on spite, and deliberate misrepresentation for mischievous reasons.
