Can ‘Corrupt’ MPs Stamp ‘Corruption’ Out of Parliament?
For a couple of months now, Parliament has been a center of public discussions with accusations of all colors. Accusations were generalities until February 2024, when social media users carried out what they dubbed #ParliamentExhibition.
The protracted political feud between the National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine and their influential former Leader of Opposition (LoP) Mathias Mpuuga amplified the discussion about Parliament after Bobi picked up social media allegations to “character assassinate” his potential inside challenger.
Without investigation, Bobi hastily based on social media allegations to issue a statement in which he asked his deputy to “return” the Shs500 he was paid as a service award, “apologize” and “resign” his position as a parliamentary commissioner.
Bobi who was the accuser and the judge declared the money Mpuuga received “immoral” and “corruption” asserting that it went against their party “values,” putting up a fire that majorly targeted Mpuuga.
After Parliament rejected their desire to remove Mpuuga from the Parliamentary Commission, the party turned its guns on the leadership of Parliament. The campaign raged on until some anti-corruption crusaders within parliament were convinced to join the vilification campaign.
For three months, a section of MPs has been involved in rhetorical talks against corruption in parliament, accusing their colleagues, including parliament leadership, of being corrupt. The campaign was spiced up when MPs led by Lwemiyaga’s Theodore Ssekikubo (NRM) launched a censure motion to impeach four parliamentary commissioners on allegations of corruption.
However, they left out key persons on the Parliamentary Commission including the Speaker of Parliament, the deputy speaker, the Prime Minister, and the Minister of Finance who were the givers of the ‘contentious’ service award and focused on the four commissioners who received money that was legally processed.
This and the sustained application of blackmail and incitement of voters against their colleagues, has led their critics to argue that the movers of the motion are engaged in cheap politicking at the expense of their colleagues.
“I know, and the Honourable Ssekikubo knows that the money was legally given to the commissioners by the Parliamentary Commission which is our governing body and in charge of giving us any money, but he is leading MPs who don’t follow what goes on in parliament when we are passing serious issues like budget in speaking what excites the cameras and TV screens,” Buyaga West MP Barnabas Tinkasimiire told Ssekikubo when they both appeared on NTV’s OnTheSpot talk show on August 8, 2024.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa had on various occasions, questioned the motives of those accusing others of corruption, stating that they were not providing evidence.
“Parliament has been made a face of corruption. Are people failing to get roads, and jobs because of parliament? Are we failing to get a pay rise because of parliament? Some people are looking for a moral high ground. The president has said he has opened the war against corruption,” Tayebwa said on July 23rd, 2024.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa questioned the motives of those accusing others of corruption, stating that they are not providing evidence.
He reiterated it on August 8, 2024, “I also saw the exchange on the media which was uncalled for, and that is why I say when we are making statements, we should be very conscious…and I tell you some of the statements we make here, we open fire against ourselves indirectly, in this House if we think some of us will go clean and others dirty, it may end up, you know, mixed up.”
Previously, Aringa South MP Yorke Odria Alion had made a critical submission on the floor, accusing even the Speaker and deputy speaker of being corrupt save for the parliamentary commissioners whom he said were tainting the parliamentary image. He thus passionately called for the debate on corruption within parliament on the grounds that the Public was interested in the matter too.
“Give us space on the order paper to debate the issue of alleged corruption in parliament. Your names [Tayebwa and Anita] have been mentioned in corruption. Why don’t you allow us to debate matters of corruption? We are not thieves. All MPs are being tainted.” Odria said.
A spotlight on the movers reveals that even the anti-corruption crusaders are not clean, with some being convicts of corruption in the past or facing corruption charges and accusations.
In response, Godfrey Macho, (Busia Municipality Independent) said that all MPs are accused of being “corrupt” and others are being called “land grabbers.”
Are Anti-Corruption Crusaders The Right Ones?
A spotlight on the movers and key faces behind the fight against corruption within parliament reveals that even the anti-corruption crusaders are not clean, with some being convicts of corruption in the past or facing corruption charges and accusations.
Betty Nambooze (Mukono Municipality, NUP), a former law enforcement officer of Mukono town council, was jailed for two years for corruption in 2003. She was found guilty of receiving a bribe of Shs60,000.
Nambooze was also convicted of deceiving her colleagues about returning money that had been deposited into her account without sanction from the Parliamentary Commission during the times of Constitutional Amendment to lift the 75-year age limit cap. The Constitutional Court found her to be “untruthful” regarding the issue.
In June 2024, a petition was filed with the Inspector General of Government (IGG) calling for an investigation into Nambooze’s receipt of over Shs666m from Parliament for her treatment in the US.
To the US, her husband, Henry Bakireke, and daughters, Leticia Nalubbo and Valeria Tendo who all together required the Ugandan taxpayer to bear the burden of her treatment and upkeep, accompanied her.
Gareth Namugga (Mawogola South, NUP), a Masaka Municipal Council procurement officer at the time, was arrested in 2009 for the theft of Shs46m. She was accused of conniving to illegally withdraw money from the town council’s account and share amongst themselves.
Michael Mawanda, (Igara West, NRM), was arrested in June 2024 for participating in a Shs160bn cooperative scandal. The MP who was arrested on the same day he signed a censure motion aimed at fighting corruption, was charged with corruption and remanded to Luzira Prison where he still sleeps.
Mawanda had previously been arrested in India over an alleged attempt to extort $20m from four directors of Videocon.
Allan Mayanja (Nakaseke South, NUP): When he worked with the late chairperson of Kampala City Traders Association (KASITA) Everest Kayondo as his assistant in the latter’s Tourism Company, Mayanja dipped his hand in his former boss’ coffers to help himself with more than Shs100m without asking for it.
When he got wind of it, late Kayondo lost his coolness, sent Mayanja pacing, and required him to return the money. Mayanja had spent the money in bankrolling his political campaign and he had no money, which complicated the situation.
It took the intervention of eminent persons led by Mathias Mpuuga to cool down late Kayondo who was determined to imprison Mayanja. Based on the respect he gave to the likes of Mathias Mpuuga, the late Kayondo gave Mayanja a soft landing of paying him in installments, but unfortunately, he died of COVID-19 just months after it had been agreed. It is not clear whether Mayanja continued paying the money or not after Kayondo’s sudden death.
Yorke Odria Alion (Aringa South, Independent), as a member of the Public Accounts Committee, was fired from the committee over extortion allegations in 2016. He was subsequently, banned from the committee for soliciting a bribe from an accounting officer.
Theodore Ssekikubo (Lwemiyaga, NRM), the mover of the censure motion, is facing serious accusations of forceful land grabbing and murder. The deputy speaker referred the matter to the minister of lands for investigation.
Muwanga Kivumbi (Butambala, NUP), was accused of being a beneficiary of the police fuel scandal in 2018. However, the investigations stalled, leaving the accusation standing.
Kivumbi was also arrested and detained by the Environmental Protection Police for building his hotel in a wetland.
Patrick Nsamba Oshabe (Kassanda North, NRM) was accused of taking 50 piglets meant for poor farmers in Kassanda district. He is also a beneficiary of the NRM Government, supplying coffee seedlings and receiving payment in huge amounts, according to Kassanda district chairperson, Kasirye Zzimula.
Muwanda Nkunyingi (Kyadondo East, NUP), was accused of petty corruption, opting to keep travel allowances instead of renting a hotel room during overseas trips. It has been widely said that he is the current LoP’s conduit for illicit monies.
Ntebbe Municipality MP used a recent media appearance to question the aims of those fighting corruption, stating that many of them have been involved in corruption themselves. He mentioned Joseph Ssewungu (Kalungu West, NUP), whom he claimed had received money from the speaker’s home.
“Are those fighting corruption clean? Haven’t they ever been involved in corruption? I saw many of those shouting, picking money at night from the fairway,” Kakembo said, “if they retrieve camera recordings to show those who have ever picked money from Speaker’s home at Fairway, [Joseph] Ssewungu will get ashamed.”
“I am here on Camera, go ask Ssewungu to deny never receiving the money from the speaker’s home,” he added.
The public is left wondering if those leading the fight against corruption are truly committed to stamping it out. Or are they just trying to cover their tracks and distract from their own corrupt activities?