The Friday decision to kick Mpuuga out of the commission came a few hours after the speaker of parliament, Anita Among blocked debate about claims of corruption and abuse of office at parliament. Among said she will not run the August House based on rumours fueled by people she termed as bum-shafters [homosexuals].
It is not clear whether the Anita leadership will respect NUP’s recommendation and allow Zaake to resume the position he was previously sacked from. Mpuuga, who was in December 2023 dropped as the leader of the opposition (LoP) is accused of having taken Shs 500 million as a “service award” from the parliamentary commission.
The “service award” was allegedly part of the Shs 1.7 billion that was irregularly allocated to parliamentary commissioners who included three back-bench MPs from the ruling NRM party. Each of the three commissioners from the NRM reportedly received Shs 400 million.
In a statement signed by acting NUP president, Dr Lina Zedriga Waru, the party resolved to recall Mpuuga from the commission after Mpuuga allegedly failed to provide any satisfactory explanation of why he should not be recalled after allegedly engaging in the irregular allocation.
“The national executive committee of the National Unity Platform sat today [Friday] to consider the response by Hon. Mathias Mpuuga to the accusation that he engaged in acts of corruption and abuse of office when he together with NRM parliamentary commissioners irregularly allocated themselves Shs 1.7 billion as service awards in a meeting chaired by Ms Anita Among,” Zedriga said in the statement.
“Although he responded to NEC’s request to show cause why he should not be recalled from the parliamentary commission, he didn’t provide any satisfactory explanation for engaging in this grave action which goes against the mission, values, and objectives of the party. In particular, he did not make any attempt to respond to the specific accusations levelled against him. In light of this, NEC has resolved to recall Hon. Mathias Mpuuga from the parliamentary commission on account of corruption, dishonesty, and abuse of office, and to notify parliament on the same,” added Zedriga.
Zedriga added Zaake’s nomination was informed by the fact that he was illegally removed from that role in March 2022 in order to pave the way for the grand corruption and questionable dealings of the parliamentary commission that has now come to light.
Zaake was sacked for alleged indiscipline based on a report by the parliamentary committee on rules, discipline, and privileges committee chaired by Abdu Katuntu. The Court of Appeal ruled that Zaake be reinstated as commissioner but parliament through the attorney general filed an appeal which is yet to be disposed off.
Mpuuga’s appointment as a commissioner was publicly seen as a demotion since was losing his position as leader of the opposition—which he had held for the previous two and half years. He was replaced by Nakawa West MP Joel Ssenyonyi.
Documents shared during the online protest led by Makerere University don, Dr Spire Ssentongo, and other activists using the hashtag #UgandaParliamentExhibition implicated Mpuuga in personally receiving Shs 500 million cash reward.
Although Mpuuga was subsequently advised by the NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine to apologize to the public and step down from the parliament commission, Mpuuga adamantly rejected the call arguing that it was based on spite, and deliberate misrepresentation for mischievous reasons.
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