Cleared Of Wrongdoing, Mpuuga Demands Detractors’ Public Apologies
With his name finally cleared by a competent Court, Nyendo-Mukungwe MP Mathias Mpuuga is now demanding apologies from his detractors.
The immediate former leader of the opposition (LoP), addressed a press conference on August 13th, 2024, shortly after the high court ruling issued on August 13th, 2024 that ruled that Mpuuga and three Parliamentary Commissioners; Solomon Silwany, Esther Afoyocan, and Prossy Akampulira earned their service award lawfully.
“I think the question relating to the censure motion should be put to petitioners. They should be able to explain to the country their next course of action,” Mpuuga said, “the last time I checked, some of the petitioners are lawyers not just lawyers, but officers of [the] court.”
He added, “I think they have an understanding of what this ruling means but I am sure, they should be educating each other including those they have been lying to. I hope those that have been involved in slander and name-calling will come out and apologize to the country for misleading colleagues in Parliament because they were alive to so many suits in court including the several suits they lodged and withdrew.”
Mpuuga stated that he had been “at pains” because his name had been “the biggest business” for his accusers.
“I am giving those who have been slandering me space to think about their own personal integrity. I have been at pains because the biggest business has been my name,” he explained, “on my name, they have had lunch, others have had bottles of waragi, others have gotten wealth in slandering me and I never rush. It is my time and space; I will make a decision on what to do because you do not wake up every day to become Mpuuga.”
In late May 2024, a section of MPs led by NRM’s Theodore Ssekikubo (Lweniyaga) embarked on a protracted exercise to collect signatures to back a censure motion against the four parliamentary Commissioners on the basis that their targets had engaged in corruption. Name-calling of their targets, blackmailing, and intimation MPs into signing the motion, formed the main component of the exercise that ended up with 189 MPs allegedly signing the motion, which seems to be stuck.
However, the Parliamentary Commissioner emphasized that he would not rush into anything, saying, “You do not wake up every day to become Mpuuga. Those slandering me, even if I gave them 50 years, they won’t become half of me…”
He also expressed his desire to focus on “very serious national issues” rather than engaging with his petty detractors, “because there are people out there that are waiting for leadership from those who can offer it.”
Mpuuga acknowledged that the court ruling had settled the dispute over the powers of the commission and the role of parliament and the executive. He noted, “there will never be consensus anywhere in the world on matters of finance… but it should never be used to undermine, insult, or slander those you disagree with.”
Mpuuga also criticized some MPs for “acting deliberately to portray ignorance to the public or actually, being ignorant about their duties.” He added, “I have read the court determination in detail. I disagree with some areas of the determination, but I appreciate and agree with the key area of the determination.”
Mpuuga expressed his belief in the rule of law, saying, “If people are petitioning, they have the right to petition…we obtained one of the key decisions, and I am sure it is going to impact probably the other decisions.”
He also disagreed with the court’s finding that the Clerk to Parliament Adolf Mwesige was at fault, saying, “It is a matter of nomenclature, but he is not at fault, legally.” Mpuuga added that the Clerk had been “condemned unheard,” which, according to Mpuuga who is a lawyer, was a “violation of the constitution.”
He asserted, “I care about my name and integrity, but I also care so much about the direction of this country,” thus emphasizing his commitment to offering leadership and serving the country.