President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has directed the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to interrogate several legislators and Parliament staff over corruption charges, leading to an imminent wave of arrests.

Tom Magambo, the CID director, informed his detectives during a weekend briefing in Kibuli about President Museveni’s orders.

Magambo thus instructed the Kira Police Station to prepare its cells for VIP detainees, hinting at the high-profile nature of the impending detentions. “That is what the director communicated in today’s meeting,” a source told our inspectors on Friday. “He told the CID Kira to clean up his cells for VIPs next week.”

While the identities of the suspects were not disclosed, sources within Parliament indicated that at least two MPs and three other individuals had recorded statements on Friday regarding allegations of irregularly drawing funds from public coffers. More officials from both Parliament and the Finance ministry are expected to face CID starting today.

Parliament has recently been embroiled in corruption scandals, with social media activists revealing that billions of shillings were irregularly allocated under the guise of corporate social responsibility and per diem expenses.

The situation worsened with allegations that four backbench Parliamentary Commissioners had shared UGX 1.7 billion among themselves as a “service award.”

Nyendo-Mukungwe MP Mathias Mpuuga, who was the Leader of the Opposition in March 2022, reportedly attended a meeting where he received UGX 500 million as a one-off gratuity. NRM legislators Solomon Silwany (Bukooli Central), Esther Afoyochan (Zombo Woman), and Prossy Mbabazi (Rubanda Woman) each received UGX 400 million.

The disbursement of these funds has sparked significant controversy. At Parliament, these four legislators now face censure led by ruling party members Theodore Ssekikubo (Lwemiyaga County) and Sarah Opendi (Tororo Woman). Ssekikubo stated over the weekend that he would finalize the collection of signatures for the censure motion today.

The censure motion has evoked mixed reactions within the ruling party. Deputy Secretary General Rosemary Namayanja condemned the service award, aligning with the growing calls for accountability. Meanwhile, MPs have been waiting to gauge President Museveni’s stance before taking a definitive position.

During his State of the Nation Address last Thursday, President Museveni revealed that he had obtained incriminating evidence of corruption, prompting legislators to urge him to take decisive action. “I didn’t believe but now I have proof,” Museveni stated, likening the corrupt to foreign elements.

He expressed pity for those who supported these corrupt individuals, suggesting they were unaware of the strength of the government’s resolve.

Museveni vowed to take harsh measures against the dishonest but acknowledged that some individuals might have erred by mistake and deserved a chance to reform. “If you punish every mistake, who will you work with?” he pondered.

As the CID prepares for a crackdown on corruption, the political landscape is poised for significant upheaval, with several high-profile figures potentially facing serious consequences.