The Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LoP), Mathias Mpuuga has warned Kira Municipality MP Ssemujju Nganda for blackmailing and blaming his failure on the National Unity Platform (NUP).
Over a week, Ssemujju has been furiously blaming NUP MPs for declining to vote for him in the just concluded Parliamentary speakership elections. The race was taken by Omoro County Legislator Jacob Oulanyah who polled 310 votes while former speaker Rebecca Kadaga got 197 votes as Ssemujju garnered 15 votes.
“I thought that the NRM would have one candidate. Unfortunately, two of them came. I thought the opposition would vote for me. I know NUP sat and agreed to vote Kadaga. They were opportunistic, now that has taught them a lesson. I want to congratulate the 15 MPs who voted for me,” Ssemujju said after elections at Kololo Independence ground.
And today, the newly elected LoP came out and taunted the Ssemujju and FDC saying that next time they should not do something they aren’t convinced about instead of doing it as a form of blackmail.
“FDC knows what happened and they are trying to go for the soft target which is NUP because I am sure they didn’t even get their own votes. They are trading intellectual dishonesty,” Mpuuga adding “As NUP, we aren’t looking for Patrons; we are looking for people who want to work with us. I want to set the record straight. The NUP leader didn’t order anyone to vote a particular candidate in the Speakership race, that’s propaganda,” he said.
Mpuuga said if the opposition is to face off with this regime, they have to swallow their ego, calm down and talk to each other.
He expressed his dismay over Political party leaders making patronizing statements about NUP people in Parliament being new and young, noting that there is no school teaching experience.
“I am not worried about the numbers in Parliament; I am worried about the quality of debate. My invitation is for Opposition MPs to rise and make superior debates, and then they will invite everyone to our side,” he said.
“We will guide them and I am sure, they will be up to the tasks. The duty is on Opposition MPs to filter what they bring on the floor of Parliament. We have to debate relevant topics so that we can challenge the forest to react for posterity,” he said.
