20% Budget Bribe: How Museveni ‘Trapped’ Greedy MPs With Pen Recorder

The Chairperson of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), Mariam Wangadya, testified in the Anti-Corruption Court about allegations of MPs demanding a 20% bribe from the UHRC’s budget.

On Friday, Wangadya appeared before Justice Lawrence Gidudu, detailing the events leading up to the corruption charges against three MPs. She recounted that in March, she attended a parliamentary committee meeting chaired by Robina Gureme Rwakoojo, with Vice Chairperson Yusuf Mutembuli and other MPs present.

After the meeting, Wangadya claimed Mutembuli approached her, suggesting he could introduce her to someone who could help with the commission’s financial issues. West Budama North MP Fox Odoi-Oywelowo also offered assistance, although Wangadya couldn’t recall if he was at the committee meeting. Odoi previously worked in the President’s Office.

Wangadya testified that Mutembuli proposed a 5% bribe from the UHRC’s total budget, which she refused. Mutembuli then suggested involving the commission’s accounting officer, Margaret Ejang, warning that without the bribe, UHRC’s budget wouldn’t increase. Both Wangadya and Ejang rejected the proposition, with Ejang stating she would rather resign than pay a bribe. Currently, the UHRC’s budget remains at Shs 15 billion.

Later, Mutembuli called Wangadya, introducing her to Elgon County MP Mudimi Wamakuyu, who is currently on remand for allegedly misappropriating funds. Wangadya revealed that donors threatened to halt funding, and some UHRC offices had already closed due to financial constraints. Feeling unsupported by the government, she considered resigning but decided to meet with President Museveni in April 2024.

During their meeting, Wangadya narrated her challenges since her appointment in September 2021. Museveni, reportedly disgusted by the MPs’ actions, promised to take action against those involved in the bribery solicitation. Wangadya later received a call from Mutembuli, asking to meet him and his colleagues at Hotel Africana.

On May 13, 2024, Wangadya received multiple calls from Mutembuli while at Housing Finance Bank. She contacted Museveni’s ADC, Maj Betty Agaba, who informed her of a trap set to catch the corrupt MPs. Agaba provided Wangadya with a recording device disguised as a pen, instructing her on its use before she left to meet Mutembuli and his colleagues.

At Hotel Africana, Wangadya found Mutembuli and Paul Akamba, joined later by Lwengo Woman MP Cissy Namujju. Mutembuli emphasized Namujju’s influence in budget allocations. In the meeting, the MPs asked Wangadya how much of the UHRC budget she was willing to offer, with Mutembuli suggesting a 20% bribe.

The MPs scrutinized the UHRC budget, identifying activities to cut for easier accounting. Namujju threatened Wangadya in Luganda, warning of severe consequences if the bribe wasn’t paid, citing her connections, including access to the president.

After the meeting, Wangadya handed the recording device to Agaba. A few days later, President Museveni called Wangadya, expressing his anger over the recordings. He sought legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to determine if a crime had been committed.

The recordings were submitted to the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) for further analysis. However, the defense lawyers contested playing the recordings in court, arguing that Wangadya was not a voice identification expert.