The party principal of the National Unity Platform (NUP), Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka Bobi Wine, has insisted that the former Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LoP), Mathias Mpuuga, must apologise, resign his position as the Commissioner at Parliament, and return the money before taking him through the rehabilitation process.
The former presidential candidate said he returned to the country to join an online protest #Ugandafundamentalexhibition. The protests were aimed at unearthing and exposing the ‘rot’ at parliament.
The social media exhibition has exposed much about the corruption by the leaders in government, but unfortunately, not even the opposition leaders were spared. However, others view the protest as being arm-twisted by underhand forces to fight political battles.
Kyagulanyi said he has no personal grudges with Mpuuga because he appointed him his vice president for Buganda, Leader of opposition and commissioner at parliament and is a leader he holds in high regard.
“My deputy president and commission of Parliament, Mathias and Mpuuga, was named in that scandal. It was an allegation that Mpuuga, together with Speaker Anita, among other commissioners, awarded himself Shs500 million. It was disturbing. But after finding what I thought was credible evidence, I summoned the meeting that involved all my deputy presidents, the party leadership, including the Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General, and other respectable leaders,” Bobi said.
He added “In that meeting, my Deputy President and Director, Mpuuga, admitted that he indeed took part in this wrongdoing. He admitted that he wrongfully awarded himself Shs500 million, and to make it even worse, this was supposed to be passed to the holder, not those that came before him, not those that are coming after him.
We advised him to honorably return that money because it is dirty money, apologise to the nation, and resign from the commission as a sign of goodwill and integrity. We wait to see whether Mpuuga heeds and takes on the moral action that was advised to do,” he said.
He applauded NUP leaders who have not betrayed the cause of their supporters and individuals who have not bowed down to the frustration and temptation of fighting for small positions. I salute those who have been with our people and consistently stood with them. I also salute the supporters and the people that make us.
“I told you that I would not cover up for any corruption. I will not be like President Yoweri Museveni, whose ministers steal money made for Karamoja iron sheets and cover up for them. In any moral country, many more people would have resigned. We commit to fighting corruption, and therefore we must lead by example. You cannot give what you don’t have. If you don’t have integrity, you cannot give integrity. We have a strong stand against corruption. And we intend to not just talk against corruption but to act against it,” he said.
The meeting resolved that if Mpuuga does the right thing to dissociate from corruption, apologise to the people of Uganda, and resign from that commission, they will come together, rehabilitate him, and then see how they can come together. It is upon him to do what is right.
