The movers of the censure motion against the former Leader of Opposition Mathias Mpuuga and the three NRM Parliamentary Commissioners, Solomon Silwany, Esther Afoyochan and Prossy Akampurira for awarding themselves Shs 1.7 billion have resurrected the demand for it to be debated in Parliament.
Led by Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Ssekikubo, the MPs argue that the Speaker of Parliament Anita Among should stop holding parliamentary matters casually.
Speaking to one of the movers of the motion, the Aringa South MP Alioni Odria says despite the court ruling in favour of the service awards, the censure motion had other grounds which need to be debated and clarified by those accused of misusing their offices.
They have also warned that the more the Speaker blocks the debate on the motion, the more secrets are unearthed citing the revelation that pinned Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa as being one of the people who attended the Commission meeting which approved the service awards.
The movers have also vowed not to abandon demanding for their motion to be debated, respect and accountability from the leadership of Parliament especially now that they managed to collect 186 signatures, surpassing the required 177 signatures required to table the motion in parliament.
However towards their successful of collecting the required signatures, the High Court in Kampala exonerated the beneficiaries of the service awards of shs 500 million to the former LoP Matthias Mpuuga and the shs 400 million to each of the three NRM backbench Commissioners in a ruling that concluded that it was lawful but improper, hence implicating the Clerk to Parliament Adolf Mwesige that the award was made possible due to his negligence.
In his August 12th 2024 ruling, Civil Division Judge, Dr Douglas Singiza said the ‘award’ was approved by Parliament and formed part of the budget presented by the Executive therefore the accused had no offence and directed the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury in the Ministry of Finance Ramathan Ggoobi to punish the Clerk to Parliament within 12 months.
MP Ssekikubo and his team were taken by surprise by the ruling which stemmed from a petition filed in May 2024 by a concerned citizen Daniel Bwette.
By Francis Lubega
18th Sept 2024
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