Mpuuga hits back at NUP, declines to step down as Parliamentary Commissioner

On Thursday, February 29, 2024, the National Unity Platform(NUP) party released a statement asking former Leader of Opposition (LOP) and Parliamentary Commissioner Hon. Mathis Mpuuga to step down, following allegations of corruption and abuse of office.

This development followed an ongoing online protest under the #UgandaParliamentExhibition.

“At the meeting, Rt. Hon. Mpuuga admitted that he indeed took part in this wrong doing and apologised for the same. 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.

Upon this call and directive, Mpuuga boldly replied to his party, calling this directive a cowardly action based on spite, envy, and deliberate misrepresentation.

According to Mpuuga the duties and roles of the Parliamentary Commission are well stipulated in the laws of the land, and coughed in basic language, an issue he said he shared and labored to educate his comrades in the party during an informal conversation.

“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,” he noted.

Mpuuga highlighted that 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

He said calling 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,” he added.

It’s this right that Mpuuga said 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 of 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 former LoP further noted that the general public is aware and alive to the internal intrigue and machinations unfortunately within NUP, especially over the last two and a half years, during his occupation of the coveted office of the LOP.

“It became the official style of different party leaders to undermine my work, including hiring 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,” he said.

“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,”

The Nyendo – Mukungwe MP affirmed that he 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, well- well-choreographed to undermine and depict me as unfit to lead.