The National Unity Platform (NUP), the opposition party, has strongly criticized Parliament for obstructing the dismissal of Mathias Mpuuga Nsamba from the parliamentary commission amidst corruption allegations.
In a letter dated March 25, Speaker Anita Annet Among rejected NUP’s proposal to recall Mpuuga as a parliament commissioner and substitute him with Francis Zaake, the Member of Parliament for Mityana municipality. NUP had nominated Mpuuga to the commission in January 2024, following his removal as the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the 11th parliament, a position he held for two and a half years. Joel Ssenyonyi, the representative for Nakawa West, has since taken over this position.
On March 18, NUP’s secretary-general, Lewis Davis Rubongoya, wrote to the speaker, conveying the decision of the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) to withdraw Mpuuga due to allegations of receiving Shs 500 million in service awards from the parliamentary commission.
However, Among’s response to Rubongoya’s letter rejected the decision, citing legal constraints and procedural shortcomings that undermine the provisions of the Administration of Parliament Act, Section (2), Capt 257, and Rule 11 (4) of the Rules of Procedure of Parliament, which govern the appointment and removal of parliamentary commissioners.
Among highlighted that parties’ roles under the law are limited to nominating candidates for the election to the office of parliament commissioner. Once elected by parliament, the commissioners serve parliament as a whole and not individual party interests.
Moreover, Rubongoya asserted that NUP’s communication to the speaker aimed to register their disapproval of corruption and abuse of office within parliament, ensuring that any future misconduct by the parliamentary commission wouldn’t reflect on NUP.
In response, Mpuuga clarified during a press conference at parliament that he has no intention of stepping down from his mandate, reaffirming his allegiance to the party.
Meanwhile, Dr. Gerard Siranda Blacks, the secretary-general of Mpuuga’s mother party, the Democratic Party (DP), criticized the unfairness of the Administration of Parliament Act and Rules of Procedure of Parliament, suggesting expedited amendments to allow parties to exercise control over nominated members.
This situation mirrors past events, such as the opposition Forum for Democratic Change’s (FDC) attempt in 2018 to withdraw Abdul Katuntu from the chairmanship of parliament’s committee on commissions, statutory authorities, and state enterprises (Cosase) and replace him with Mubarak Munyagwa, as well as Mpuuga’s unsuccessful endeavor in August 2020 to remove Martin Ojara Mapenduzi from the chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee – PAC Local Government.
