Social media buzzed with outrage as a video circulated showing the rearrest of Hon. Paul Akamba at the premises of the Anti-Corruption Court shortly after he had been granted bail.
Various organizations, including Human Rights Watch, the Uganda Law Society, and several activist groups, condemned the act, labeling it as disgusting and unworthy of a civilized society.
However, new information reveals that Hon. Akamba is implicated in another pending corruption case that involves many other MPs, primarily from the ruling NRM party.
The case file, which has been under investigation, required the input of the rearrested MP to provide a statement and assist security officers in coordinating information to combat corruption in Parliament.
“In the past, it was civil servants like permanent secretaries getting arrested. Now it’s MPs. The past five years have made MPs so powerful that they can dictate who takes what in different government departments,” said Dennis Kule, a political analyst.
The case file is expected to lead to the arrest of more than 30 MPs to answer charges of corruption and soliciting bribes and favors to facilitate government business. Sources indicate that the case is related to the embezzlement of cooperative funds. Additionally, FDC’s Geoffrey Ekanya and NUP’s Mathias Mpuuga are reportedly implicated in the latest scandal.
The state minister for Trade, Harriet Ntababazi, revealed late last year that up to 30 legislators are facing criminal investigations over their alleged role in the embezzlement of UGX 164 billion meant for compensation to Cooperative Societies.
While appearing before the Committee on Trade and Tourism to update the MPs on the financial and physical performance of the trade and industry sector, Ntababazi said among those facing the probe by the police are five “talkative” opposition MPs.
“The Criminal Investigation Directorate (CID) is taking on files. Around five files have been identified, and the good thing is, it wasn’t only the Ministry. There are more than 30 MPs involved, including Opposition MPs, five active opposition MPs, very talkative and noise makers who will also face it rough. We shall also face it as a Ministry, but they will also face it. So, we aren’t scared. Wherever it will end, God knows. Let it unfold that way,” said Ntabazi.
Ntabazi did not reveal to the Committee the list of the 30 MPs up for questioning by the detectives. However, in the Committee report which the House sent to CID and the Inspectorate of Government for further investigations, there were only two MPs supposed to be quizzed. They are Elgon County MP Mudimi Wamakuyu and Igara East MP Michael Mawanda, while former Kyankwanzi District Woman MP Anne Maria Nankabirwa is also a target.
Parliament last year adopted, without debate, the report by the Trade and Tourism Committee on the probe into how funds for cooperatives were spent. The Committee discovered that payments amounting to UGX 48.77 billion were made in excess and outside the allocated amounts to various cooperatives. The report highlighted that some compensations were made on unverified claims while there was a general lack of appreciation of the rationale for compensation to cooperatives for war losses.
