NRM MPs ordered not to sign censure motion before guidance from Museveni
In response, Theodore Ssekikubo (Lwemiyaga County) has denied claims that the Shs1.7Bn Service Award and Shs23M monthly salary paid out to the four Commissioners was approved by MPs in Parliament, and he has asked the people behind this claim to table evidence to this effect.
Herbert Kinobere (Kibuku County) who is also, Vice Spokesperson, NRM Caucus, has ordered all NRM MPs not to append their signatures on the censure motion until they receive guidance from their Party Chairman, President Museveni.
He issued the directive while addressing journalists at Parliament, where he said that after the guidance of President Museveni, the NRM MPs who have already appended their signatures to the motion seeking to censure the Commissioners over the Shs1.7Bn Service Award, might be forced to withdraw their signatures.
He also urged NRM Voters not to castigate their MPs if they refuse to sign the censure motion or withdraw their signatures, saying it is part of the NRM rules to abide by the Part’s ideologies.
“We all have voters and our voters will have to appreciate because they are NRM, I know they respect the NRM ideology, so if somebody says, I will go ahead and sign, even when the Principle has guided, I know the Principle will guide further on those who have signed after he had guided. But as NRM, we are waiting for the guidance of the National Chairman which caucus will be called soon and we shall be updating the House on what next,” he said.
In response, Theodore Ssekikubo (Lwemiyaga County) has denied claims that the Shs1.7Bn Service Award and Shs23M monthly salary paid out to the four Commissioners was approved by MPs in Parliament, and he has asked the people behind this claim to table evidence to this effect.
Ssekikubo made the remarks while addressing journalists at Parliament, where he was responding to the latest directive by Kinobere.
Ssekikubo also revealed that his team will be displaying the list of MPs who have signed the censure motion remarking, “At 2:00Pm we want to display those who have been signing or not, but most importantly, our purpose is to proceed to gather our signatures for the motion and that is why we are at peace, that is why we are telling members, don’t run away from your duty.”
“If they say that the money was approved, let them bring that evidence on the floor of Parliament. We have our evidence to show it was never appropriated and voted for under ex-gratia or service award. We didn’t and we can calculate how much money was appropriated for ex-gratia. Our signatures are to allow the debate on this matter, let the members allow this debate to take place. So we shall not be fooled by the Government Chief Whip (Hamson Obua) who isn’t declaring his interest. He is the Government Chief Whip who convenes caucus, he saw this matter coming up, he didn’t and once we have already pulled, there is no way of pulling back,” said Ssekikubo.
He also added that, “We are set, we are moving on. The Government Chief Whip hasn’t pointed out any procedural impropriety in this process. He hasn’t given the position on NRM on corruption, that is why they say we engage gear one, gear one is theirs, if they fail to engage gear one, we as good members of NRM, we say we have to protect and defend the NRM Party against corruption. We say we must defend the rules of our country and we are proceeding well under our Rules of Procedure, he hasn’t faulted us on the Rules of Procedure we have followed.”
