Parliament has censured the State Minister for Lands Persis Namuganza. She was censured following a motion which was moved Agago North MP John Amos Okot.
According to the Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, 348 Members of Parliament voted in favour of the motion, while 5 voted against and 3 abstained.
Rule 109 of the Rules of Procedure require the Speaker to notify the President within 72 hours, and thereafter constitute a tribunal to thoroughly examine the motion, and also accord the minister a fair hearing in which she or her advocate can make her case.
Earlier the Select Committee finds prima facie evidence confirming that the conduct of Persis Namuganza Princess breached the standards of behavior and conduct expected of a Member of Parliament.
Earlier this month, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa named a seven-member select committee to scrutinise and identify prima facie evidence on the censure motion against Persis Namuganza, the State minister for Lands.
The Select Committee was chaired by Mwine Mpaka. Other members of the committee include Wilfred Niwagaba (Ndorwa East), Mpindi Bumali (PWD), Charles Bakkabulindi (Workers), Nancy Acora (Lamwo District), Betty Naluyima (Wakiso District) and Godfrey Ekanya (Tororo North).
The censure motion against Namuganza, follows after the latter’s handling of the controversial Nakawa-Naguru land giveaway.
The ad hoc committee in their report recommended that Namuganza steps aside for falsifying a presidential directive that saw the Uganda Land Commission allocate the said land to a section of investors.
Namuganza is reported to have said Parliament is powerless and unable to censure her in relation to her involvement in the Naguru-Nakawa land allocations.
The MPs launched the censure motion following Namuganza’s refusal to apologise to Speaker Anita Among and the MPs for her handling of the matter.
While presenting the select committee report, Mpaka said Namuganza failed in her duty to at all times conduct herself in a manner that will maintain and strengthen the public’s trust and confidence in the integrity of Parliament.
“Namuganza did not appear before the select committee for a fair hearing despite several attempts yet she was duly served with letters inviting her to appear before the committee. She ought to have used proper channels of challenging the composition of the Ad hoc Committee that investigated her involvement in the Nakawa-Naguru land allocation,” he said.
The select committee found that her conduct brought Parliament and its members into disrepute and breached the Code of Conduct of Procedure of Parliament.
Following the presentation of the report, Agago North MP John Amos Okot moved a motion to censure Namuganza. The motion was supported by Nathan Byanyima, Barnabas Tinkasimire and other legislators. The house is scheduled to vote against the motion.
