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Less than 24 hours after the opposition party announced that Mpuuga had been “strongly advised’ to step down from his role,” over alleged office misuse, Mpuuga this Friday released a scathing statement vowing to stay put.
“I accordingly decline the cowardly call on me to resign as a parliamentary Commissioner, based on spite, envy and deliberate misrepresentation,” Mpuuga stated.
“I wish to assure the general membership of NUP and all change-seeking forces that, this shall remain my resolve; and I cannot be deterred by small-group- family interests being peddled to blur the bigger picture of how the Party is being managed without transparency.”
His full statement is reproduced at the bottom of this article.
Hon Mpuuga, who recently was replaced as the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, was accused of “awarding himself Shs 500 million when he was still the LOP.”
Details of this claim came out in the ongoing online exposé of the corruption at Parliament, trending under the hashtag #UgandaParliamentExhibition
NUP President Bobi Wine in a statement yesterday that Mpuuga had admitted in a Wednesday meeting to have taken this money and apologised.
“In light of this, he was strongly advised that the moral thing to do in the circumstances is to step down from his role as Parliamentary Commissioner with immediate effect,” the statement read.
Pressure on NUP
Bobi Wine, however, faced a lot of backlash with some social media users accusing him of hypocrisy and double standards.
Kasambya County MP Daudi Kabanda wondered why only Mpuuga was singled out for suspension.
“If you regard the Money paid officially to Mpuuga by the Parliamentary Commission as a bribe and therefore an act of corruption, why are NUP Mps earning allowances that keep getting approved by the Parliamentary Commission from time to time? Isn't this the same money of Parliamentary commission that Kyagulanyi and his procured NUP outfit survive on by getting monthly deductions? Have they ever declared these to Ugandans?”
Kabanda described the action as “political revenge” on Mpuuga for fear of him being a threat.”
Yusuf Sserunkuma posted, “This ought not to be a witchhunt or Hon. Mpuuga taking a bullet for the team. These streets have seen many, many folks implicated. House cleaning ought to be thorough.”
Julius Bukyana said, “You want to test how heavy this man is in Masaka? He will win exceedingly high without NUP backing.”
Mpuuga’s full statement
Fellow Countrymen,
My attention has been drawn to an unsigned document purportedly attributed to my Party, the National Unity Platform; calling for my resignation inter-alia based on falsehoods and terrible misapprehension of facts including basic ones.
Let me initially reconfirm my commitment to the core values of the Party, which I verily understand and cherish more than many now, embroiled in mischief. I shall continue to be of service to my Party among others; in helping to educate all those interested and able to learn the culture of institutional building.
The duties and roles of the Parliamentary Commission are well stipulated in the laws of the land, and coughed in basic language. An issue I shared and labored to educate my comrades with whom we interacted in an informal conversation at the party offices.
It is the same commission that votes funds to all political offices, including the LOP’s office.
It takes care of the welfare of ordinary members and their leaders in Parliament, including determining the range of legally permissible payments, that may be salary, allowances, gratuity, honoraria, car grants among others.
Every decision of the Commission to confer or reward anyone under its charge, is subjected to the relevant committees of Parliament for legality, feasibility, sustainability and relevancy.
To call any such payments corruption is the highest level of spite, double standards and deliberate misrepresentation to the public and membership of the Party on a purely selfish mission.
If such payments amounted to corruption, all current and previous MPs would be compelled to refund to the public coffers monies paid as gratuity or honoraria since no MP, current and previous was not paid gratuity at the determination of the parliamentary Commission.
The general public has every right to question the decisions of their leaders at every level.
This right should never be exploited by self-seekers, opportunists and populists to undermine, berate and smear those they consider in unpalatable terms to their brand of politics.
The campaign to character assassinate me is deliberate, and I am perfectly aware. It’s well orchestrated and well-funded. I am ready for the worst, if it takes this sacrifice to return sanity and common sense to our politics.
I am available as ever to help this young party rid any form of corruption from its rank and file and especially that ingrained at the base of the party.
I accordingly decline the cowardly call on me to resign as a parliamentary Commissioner, based on spite, envy and deliberate misrepresentation.
The general public is aware and alive to the internal intrigue and machinations unfortunately within this young party over the last 2 ½ years, during my occupation of the coveted office of the LOP. It became the official style of different party leaders to undermine my work, including hiring of bloggers to abuse and insult my person.
I stayed committed and calm throughout these most compelling times, because the call to serve above self remained my creed.
I wish to assure the general membership of NUP and all change seeking forces that, this shall remain my resolve; and I cannot be deterred by small-group- family interests being peddled to blur the bigger picture of how the Party is being managed without transparency.
I will not stop raising important questions on the actions, motivation and direction of different actors in the Party, even in the face of the current tribulations, wellchoreographed to undermine and depict me as unfit to lead.
Mathias Mpuuga, MP
Parliamentary Commissioner