Former Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Mathias Mpuuga has declined the call by his party of National Unity Platform (NUP) to resign as a parliamentary commissioner over allegations of corruption and abuse of office, describing the move as cowardly.
The Nyendo-Mukungwe MP and also the NUP’s deputy president for Buganda region, Mpuuga in a statement he issued on Friday declined the call saying it is based on malice, envy and deliberate misrepresentation.
“The general public is aware and alive to the internal intrigue and machinations unfortunately within this young party over the last two-and-a-half years, during my occupation of the coveted office of the LOP. It became the official style of different party leaders to undermine my work, including hiring bloggers to abuse and insult my person,” he said.
Mpuuga said he stayed committed and calm throughout these most compelling times because the call to serve above self remained his creed.
“I wish to assure the general membership of NUP and all change-seeking forces that this shall remain my resolve, and I cannot be deterred by small-group-family interests being peddled to blur the bigger picture of how the party is being managed without transparency,” he said.
Mpuuga began his statement by saying that his attention had been drawn to “an unsigned document purportedly attributed to his party, calling for his resignation inter- alia based on falsehoods and terrible misapprehension of facts including basic ones”.
He used the statement to initially reconfirm his commitment to the core values of the party, which he said he verily understood and cherished more than many now, embroiled in mischief.
“I shall continue to be of service to my party, among others; in helping to educate all those interested and able to learn the culture of institutional building. The duties and roles of the parliamentary commission are well stipulated in the laws of the land, and coughed in basic language,” he wrote.
An issue, he said, he shared and laboured to educate his comrades with whom the interacted in an informal conversation the party offices.
An issue, he said, he shared and laboured to educate his comrades with whom they interacted in an informal conversation at the party offices.
“It is the same commission that votes funds to all political offices, including the LOP’s office. It takes care of the welfare of ordinary members and their leaders in Parliament, including determining the range of legally permissible payments, that may be salary, allowances, gratuity, honoraria, car grants, among others,” he argued.
Every decision of the commission to confer or reward anyone under its charge, Mpuuga said, is subjected to the relevant committees of Parliament for legality, feasibility, sustainability and relevancy.
“To call such payments corruption is the highest level of malice, double standards and deliberate misrepresentation to the public and membership of the party on a purely selfish mission. If such payments amounted to corruption, all current and previous MPs would be compelled to refund to the public coffers monies paid as gratuity or honoraria since no MP, current and previous was not paid gratuity at the determination of the parliamentary commission,” he said.
He said the general public has every right to question the decisions of their leaders at every level.
“This right should never be exploited by self-seekers, opportunists and populists to undermine, berate and smear those they consider in unpalatable terms to their brand of politics,” he said.
The campaign to character assassinate me is deliberate, he contended, and he said he was perfectly aware.
“It’s well orchestrated and well-funded. I am ready for the worst, if it takes this sacrifice to return sanity and common sense to our politics. I am available as ever to help this young party rid any form of corruption from its rank and file and especially that ingrained at the base of the party,” he said.
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