The speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga has petitioned the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) calling for investigation into an online newspaper, Capital Times after it published an article alleging she received over Shs2.8 billion in travel allowances in less than two years.
The online paper revealed that Kadaga and her close confidant who is also Kasilo County MP Elijah Okupa spent 986 days on travel and pocketed Shs2.8bn as per diem.
In a letter to the Capital Times, the Executive Director of UCC Irene Kaggwa Sewankambo said that the Capital Times made a false, biased, and defamatory statement against the speaker and were never afforded an opportunity to share their perspective on the subject matter.
“The complainants allege that you made a false, biased, and defamatory statement against them whereas you never accorded them an opportunity to share their perspective on the subject matter,” partially reads UCC’s letter.” the letter reads in part.
She directed the editor of the newspaper to respond to Speaker’s complaints in writing to aid in the investigation processes.
The newspaper reported that its editor Capital Hannington Mbabazi has since revealed that he is having evidence over the said article.
“I have evidence over this story. The problem for Kadaga is a lot of documents have since been stolen from her office. That’s why she has since sacked all her handlers. Now they want to squeeze my balls to tell them my source of the story….” Capital times reported.
UCC letter to Capital Times on Speaker complaint
