– Advertisement –
The National Unity Platform (NUP) has made a formal request for Mathias Mpuuga, the Member of Parliament for Masaka Municipality, to step down from his role as a parliamentary commissioner. This call comes following Mpuuga’s acknowledgment of receiving 500 million shillings, amidst corruption allegations that have emerged against various NUP officials.
In a statement issued by the NUP secretariat on Thursday evening, Party President Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, arranged a meeting with senior party leaders. The purpose of the meeting was to address the corruption allegations that had surfaced, implicating several NUP officials, including Mpuuga, who previously held the position of Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, along with other commissioners.
These allegations center around irregular allocations of significant sums of money to themselves under the pretense of service awards. Mpuuga, in particular, is reported to have received 500 million shillings through this process.
The press statement from NUP reveals that during the meeting, Mpuuga admitted his involvement in the allocation of funds and subsequently issued an apology for his actions. As a result, it was strongly advised that he resign from his role as parliamentary commissioner with immediate effect, given the ethical implications of his actions.
– Advertisement –
The statement further emphasizes the core values of the National Unity Platform, which include discipline, reliability, inclusiveness, integrity, patriotism, and service. Any actions of corruption or abuse of office are deemed contrary to these fundamental values.
In recent days, social media platforms have been flooded with an online protest spearheaded by Dr. Spire Ssentongo, a lecturer at Makerere University, and other activists. This protest, under the hashtag #Uganda Parliament Exhibition, aims to shed light on the abuse of office and mismanagement of public affairs within Parliament.
Various allegations have emerged during this exhibition, implicating high-ranking officials such as the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, as well as members from both the ruling NRM party and the opposition. These allegations include instances of nepotism, where officials purportedly used their influence to secure jobs for their relatives in Parliament, as well as engaging in corrupt practices for personal gain.
Chris Obore, the Director of Communication and Public Affairs, acknowledged Parliament’s awareness of the ongoing #UgandaParliamentExhibition. He stated that although there are distortions in the discussions, Parliament is committed to addressing the specific concerns raised with transparency and accountability.
Related
– Advertisement –
