A group of five Members of Parliament have initiated a motion to impeach four Parliament commissioners who allegedly distributed Shs1.7 billion of taxpayers’ money among themselves as ‘service awards.’
The targeted commissioners are Mathias Mpuuga (MP Nyendo-Mukungwe), Esther Afoyochan (Zombo Woman MP), Solomon Silwanyi (Bukooli Central MP), and Prossy Mbabazi Akampurira (Rubanda Woman MP).
The motion, led by MPs Theodore Ssekikubo (Lwemiyaga), Joseph Ssewungu (Kalungu West), Sarah Opendi (Tororo Woman MP), Patrick Nsamba Oshabe (Kassanda North), and Yorke Alioni Odria (Aringa South), comes after the commissioners refused to resign despite being given ample time to do so.
“On several occasions, I asked the Speaker for an in-house discussion about the commissioners, but nothing was done. These individuals have become gluttons, enjoying food and money for nothing,” Ssewungu said.
“We want these commissioners out of office. We have all the facts and will use every possible means to remove them,” he added.
Mr. Odria emphasized the need to combat corruption within Parliament. “We advised the four commissioners to resign, but they have refused. It is time for MPs to take action,” he said.
The legislators argue that impeaching the commissioners will restore public trust in Parliament. “Removing these commissioners will restore the dignity of Parliament and strengthen public confidence in its integrity,” Ssekikubo stated.
“This is the time to say no to the diversion of public funds for personal gain. I call upon all MPs to support this motion, but the commissioners can also choose to resign before the motion proceeds,” he added.
The commissioners came under scrutiny earlier this year after reports emerged that they had awarded themselves Shs1.7 billion. Former Leader of the Opposition Mathias Mpuuga allegedly received Shs500 million, while the other three commissioners, all from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), received Shs400 million each.
Supporting the motion, Ms. Opendi urged the public to ensure their legislators back this “matter of public interest.” She highlighted the misappropriation of funds, noting that the Ministry of Health spent Shs500 million to upgrade health centers while the commissioners awarded similar amounts to themselves.
Mr. Nsamba expressed frustration with the current commissioners. “I feel bad every time I see these individuals masquerading as commissioners when there is darkness around them. It’s no longer just a National Unity Platform (NUP) issue; it involves all MPs,” he said.
Earlier this year, NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu attempted to recall Mr. Mpuuga from his commissioner position, a move rejected by Speaker Anita Among, who stated that the party lacks the authority to recall a serving commissioner under current laws.
This decision led Kyagulanyi to remove Mpuuga as his deputy president for the central region, causing tension within the party.
Ms. Among reportedly chaired the meeting where the commissioners allocated themselves the service awards. However, Maracha MP Mr. Oguzu Le called for a thorough investigation to determine if the awards were approved by Parliament.
“Before I sign the motion, we must investigate whether these awards were part of the budget approved by Parliament. If not, we have a strong case. If they were approved, we may need to hold everyone collectively responsible,” he said.
