Mathias Mpuuga, Commissioner of Parliament and former Leader of the Opposition, delivered a strong rebuke to his own party and its leadership during an event in Mityana District.
In a speech widely seen as targeting National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, aka Bobi Wine, Mpuuga asserted that those indulging in alcohol and marijuana are incapable of removing President Yoweri Museveni from power.
“Tell those aspiring for leadership positions to stop spending time in bars, quit boozing, and give up smoking marijuana,” Mpuuga said, emphasizing that Museveni, Uganda’s longest-serving leader, remains consistently sober, unlike his party president Bobi Wine, known for his past marijuana use during his music career.
“Anyone who wants to be a leader must remain sober 24 hours a day and pay close attention to current events. You cannot aspire to lead the country and make changes if you are a drunkard. The person (Museveni) you aim to overthrow does not smoke, does not go to bars, does not booze, and doesn’t even drink wine,” Mpuuga added.
These comments come amid tensions between Mpuuga and the NUP, following accusations of corruption against him for accepting an illegal service award of 500 million shillings during his tenure as Leader of the Opposition. The NUP has called for his resignation from his current position, but Mpuuga has refused, leading to a protracted conflict.
The NUP condemned the cash token, while Mpuuga defended it as a justified gratuity approved by Parliament. “Even in Parliament, there are members who approve and pass legislation without understanding it. Later, they exclaim, ‘When did we approve this?'” Mpuuga remarked.
Recently, a cropped document circulating online purportedly showed parliamentary approval of the money, but NUP spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi dismissed it as a forgery, challenging anyone to provide its origin. To date, no one has come forward with proof of the document’s authenticity.
