The National Unity Platform top leadership has refuted Speaker Anita Among’s decision of blocking the removal of Mathias Mpuuga as a member of the Parliamentary Commission.
NUP’s statement came out yesterday, after Among blocked the removal of Mathias Mpuuga as member of the Parliamentary Commission, saying the letter authored by the National Unity Platform (NUP) has no basis or foundation in law because, once any MP is elected by Parliament as Commissioner, they cease to serve individual party interest and serve Parliament as a whole.
NUP stated, “For clarity, when we communicated to Parliament our decision to withdraw the mandate we had given Mathias Mpuuga to represent us as a Commissioner, we were aware that Ms. Anita Among would seek to protect him like she has previously done. Just this past weekend, Dictator Museveni praised her for having brought (read bought) many opposition leaders to him. Her ways are therefore well known. In any case, Ms. Among chaired the Parliamentary Commission meeting that illegally and immorally allocated the 500 million shillings to Mpuuga.”
NUP noted that one of its objectives is to be on record and officially communicate to Parliament the disapproval of corruption and abuse of office.
NUP also aims at reaffirming that given the facts available now, Francis Zaake remains the Party’s legitimate representative on the Parliamentary Commission as he was unconstitutionally removed from that role.
“We ensure that when the Parliamentary Commission engages in more forms of corruption as it surely will, no wrongdoing shall be imputed on the National Unity Platform.” NUP stated.
In a letter dated March 25, 2024, directed to the NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya, Among stated that under the law, political parties are limited to nominating candidates for the election to the office of Commissioner of Parliament.
She was referring to Rubongoya’s letter dated March 18, 2024, addressing her of the NUP’s decision to recall Mr Mpuuga as the Commissioner of Parliament and replace him with Mityana Municipality MP, Francis Zaake.
“Parliamentary Commissioners are elected by Parliament by virtue of section 2 of the Administration of Parliament, Cap 257 and rule 11 (4) of the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament of the Republic of Uganda. The role of the parties under the law is limited to nominating candidates for election to the office of the commissioner of parliament as stipulated in sub-section 2(2b),” Ms Among’s letter reads in part.
According to her, NUP’s letter has no basis or foundation in law.
“To do so as you (NUP) request would amount to fettering the authority vested in the House by the clear and unambiguous section 5 of the Administration of Parliament Act resulting in undesirable legal consequences in line with the decision of the Constitutional Court of Uganda in Fox Odoi-Oyelowo and James Akampumuza Versus Attorney General, Constitutional petition number 8 of 2003,” Mr Among responded, adding: “I can, therefore, not implement it.”
The Speaker’s response was made public just hours after Mr Mpuuga on Tuesday addressed journalists and vowed not to leave NUP or step down from the parliamentary commission.
“I will not respond to that letter, save to restate my position as communicated earlier to the Party and nation that I affirm the fact that I confess no wrongdoing whether in law or elementary common sense. The position of the law has been clarified to whoever wishes to understand but not to deliberately slander me or gain short-term political capital out of the current situation. So, I do state my position, it is the position of the law and common sense. I wish to reassure all comrades in the struggle for a fair Uganda that my commitment has never waned and I will not and shall never be part of any form of corruption. I have never been indicted of corruption, I am never corrupt and nobody will invite me into corruption,” Mpuuga told journalists during a press briefing at Parliament.
He added that he would not quit a party he helped found like many wanted him to. Instead, he would stay and help streamline its operation and ensure discipline among members.
“I am a founder of NUP, I did not just join from nowhere but I was part of the founding blocks – where I serve as the deputy president in charge of Buganda. I am also here to reaffirm that I am not leaving NUP, I am not here to do anything to destroy or kill it. So, whoever thought they were hounding me out… I am here for keeps,” Mr Mpuuga vowed.
