Views: 0
Kira Municipality Member of Parliament, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, has expressed his unwavering support for Nyendo-Mukungwe MP Mathias Mpuuga amidst a brewing controversy. Ssemujju, in an interview with the press on Monday, emphasized his long-standing relationship with Mpuuga as a key reason for his stance.
The controversy stemmed from a motion to censure Mpuuga and three other backbench parliamentary commissioners over allegations of corruption. These allegations involved the purported sharing of 1.7 billion shillings as a one-off service award from the commission in May 2022. The other accused commissioners are Prossy Mbabazi Akampurira (Rubanda Woman MP), Esther Afoyochan (Zombo Woman MP), and Solomon Silwanyi (Bukooli Central MP).
Ssemujju highlighted the parliamentary process, noting that the 1.7 billion shillings was part of the House Commission’s budget, which had been approved by Parliament under an item of ex-gratia for political leaders. He argued that if Parliament approved the funds, it couldn’t then blame the beneficiaries. He also raised concerns about the moral implications of the awards, particularly regarding former Speakers and Deputy Speakers.
Expressing his disagreement with the decision to grant service awards, especially to former Speakers and Deputy Speakers, Ssemujju pointed out the case of Edward Ssekandi and Rebecca Kadaga. Despite his reservations, he acknowledged that Parliament had sanctioned the awards, making it a moral rather than a legal issue.
Ssemujju emphasized his enduring support for Mpuuga, citing their longstanding personal relationship. He declared that regardless of whether Mpuuga had committed a crime or not, he would remain steadfast in his support. Drawing on a conflict of interest, Ssemujju noted his reluctance to partake in actions against a friend, likening it to judges recusing themselves from cases involving acquaintances.
Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Ssekikubo of the ruling National Resistance Movement spearheaded the censure motion against the four commissioners. According to parliamentary rules, the motion requires signatures from at least one-third of MPs to proceed. With 529 MPs in the 11th Parliament, excluding ex-officio members, Ssekikubo’s motion needs 176 signatures to advance.