Kampala, Uganda | NOW THEN DIGITAL — The National Unity Platform (NUP), under the leadership of Robert Kyagulanyi, commonly known as Bobi Wine, has announced a decision to replace Nyendo-Mukungwe MP Mathias Mpuuga with Francis Zaake as a Commissioner of Parliament.
The decision to replace Mpuuga with Zaake was made by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the NUP on Friday. This move followed shortly after the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, dismissed discussions regarding allegations of corruption and abuse of office within Parliament, stating her refusal to entertain rumors in the legislative body.
It remains uncertain whether Mpuuga will be removed from the Parliamentary Commission, as recommended by the NUP Executive Committee, to allow Francis Zaake to assume the position.
Mpuuga, who was removed as the Leader of the Opposition in December 2023, faces accusations of receiving a 500 million shillings “Service Award” from the Parliamentary Commission. The NUP Executive Committee alleges that Mpuuga, currently serving as a Parliamentary Commissioner, was influenced by Anita Among. However, Kyagulanyi, the head of the NUP, is currently out of the country.
The alleged “service award” is said to be part of the 1.7 billion shillings irregularly allocated to Parliamentary Commissioners, which reportedly included three back-bench MPs from the ruling NRM Party. Each NRM Commissioner purportedly received 400 million shillings.
In a statement released by the Acting Party President, Dr. Lina Zedriga Waru, the NUP stated that Mpuuga failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for his involvement in the irregular allocation, thus leading to his recall from the parliamentary commission due to allegations of corruption, dishonesty, and abuse of office. The party has nominated Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake to replace Mpuuga as a parliament commissioner.
“In light of this, NEC has resolved to recall Hon Mathias Mpuuga…on account of corruption, dishonesty and abuse of office,” the statement said, adding that Parliament would be notified.
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Mpuuga’s appointment to the Parliamentary Commission in December 2023 followed the dismissal of Francis Zaake, who had been accused of indiscipline. However, the Court of Appeal ruled for Zaake’s reinstatement, pending an appeal filed by the Parliament through the Attorney General.
Mpuuga’s removal from the leadership position as Leader of the Opposition in December 2023 was perceived as a demotion. He was succeeded by Nakawa West MP Joel Ssenyonyi.
During an online protest led by Makerere Don Dr. Spire Ssentongo and other activists, documents shared under the hashtag #Uganda Parliament Exhibition implicated Mpuuga in the receipt of 500 million shillings from the allocated 1.7 billion shillings.
Despite calls from NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, for Mpuuga to apologize and step down from the parliamentary commission, Mpuuga rejected the suggestion, labeling it as spiteful and deliberately misrepresented for malicious reasons.
