I’ve never stolen any FDC money, says Winnie Kiiza

Former Leader of Opposition in Parliament Winnie Kiiza. FILE PHOTO

There has been talk that you used your office as LoP to steal money meant for FDC as a party. What do say?
My leaders, I think, are just being unfair to me because they know that I didn’t touch money for the party. And I am not a signatory to any party account. I am not an accounting officer neither am I the chief accountant of Parliament where the money comes from.

The money they have been accusing me of [stealing] is contribution of the MPs which is given by individual members who instruct the chief accountant of Parliament to deduct from their salaries every month. I have also been contributing since 2006 up to date.

It is really unethical for the party leaders to say Winnie diverted the money that does not go through her.
I am going to personally cause an inquiry because my own contribution is part of the money they say was stolen. I want to know where my money has been going. Who has been eating that money?
For now I have temporarily suspended remitting to the party beginning with this month [October] until I am given a thorough accountability for my money. I am not alone. There are many FDC members who have suspended their contribution pending an investigation into who has been taking the money.

Can’t the members continue contributing as they demand for accountability?
The main issue is about accountability. Our party has been asked time and again by the party members why they should continue contributing when the party is getting money from government because of their numbers in the House.

Each political party is given funds by government depending on how many members it has in the House. And since we finished buying the house for our headquarters, the members have been asking, why they should continue contributing personally since FDC is getting political party funds.

They say you diverted the money to the FDC office in Kasese, where you are the Woman MP
Kasese parliamentary caucus operates an account which we submitted to Parliament for remittance of our monthly contribution to the district office. That Kasese account, I am not even a signatory to it. The principal signatory is Mr Saulo Maate the district chairman (FDC) and there is no way money can get out of that account without Mr Maate authorising.

Have there been instances where the money meant for national headquarters is diverted to Kasese?
I can confirm that even previously, money (for headquarters) was going to the Kasese account but we would realise early enough because this money for the members was servicing a loan in bank and I think the moment the money would not be reflected on the bank account for the purposes of paying the loan, then the bank would call FDC.

The party would come back to the accountant of Parliament who would tell them the money was banked mistakenly on FDC account, Kasese branch. Then, we would call Mr Maate to withdraw the money and put it on the FDC account. Well, I don’t know why that system collapsed. May be because there is now no specific activity for which the MPs are contributing and therefore they would not know when the money goes to Kasese.

I am not the one who posts money from Parliament. There is no letter from me telling the accountant of Parliament to bank the money on the Kasese account.

There has been talk out there that you could have used that money to fund Gen Muntu’s countrywide consultations…
That is why I would be more interested so that Muntu can equally be set free. Where Muntu gets his money nobody knows. Why couldn’t they say that I have been using that money to fund defiance activities? Why are they tagging it to Muntu? This was not Muntu’s money and members were not contributing towards Muntu to do consultations. They are contributing towards the FDC party.

As far as you know, are there audits carried out on the books of accounts in FDC?
We know that the party audits but the unfortunate bit is that the auditor of the FDC accounts is the secretary general (SG Nandala Mafabi).

He audits himself, so sometimes we may not be sure whether the audits are correct or not. So it should be interesting to know what is happening in Najjanankumbi because the SG is the accounting officer at the same time the auditor. That is why members feel uncomfortable about the issues of accountability.

Have you met Mr Amuriat since he dropped you as LoP?
I have not. And we have not had an official meeting because he has not asked for it. For me at least I was giving him reports of what we were doing in Parliament, so maybe it is from those reports that showed I failed the service.

What is your view that there is need for a united front by Opposition political parties to capture State power?
Indeed we need a united front as Opposition. All these political groupings do not need to look at each other as rivals. I would pray that the FDC doesn’t look at any other Opposition political party as an enemy because as long as we are chasing the same goal, we should now make ourselves stronger.

There are rumours that President Museveni could make a Cabinet reshuffle soon and he seems to look to fish from the Opposition. Would you take such an appointment?
I can tell you, I even want to let Museveni know that he should never even try because I can never serve under Museveni.

Winnie Kiiza’s take on Key issues

On FDC MPs’ monthly remittances
Majority of the members remit Shs450,000 and those who have additional responsibilities (in Parliament) remit Shs500,000. I have been remitting Shs500,000 since 2006 when I held different positions in Parliament. When I became LoP I said to myself that let me lead by example. I topped up on the mandatory figure with Shs350,000 from my monthly emolument of Shs3m. I have been contributing Shs800,000 per month.

On being accused of diverting money
One reason I am saying my party is unfair and they are hypocritical is that they have never called me at all to ask why I used the money before they went public talking about that. They should have called me to find out if really I have that money. But because they know that they have that money and they have eaten it, they just don’t want to account to members who have been asking for accountability.

On being dropped as LoP
Changing me without information was okay because I wouldn’t die in that office because I am heading towards government. Very soon we are taking over leadership and we shall cease to be in Opposition. And personally I was not meant to be a life Leader of Opposition, I was using that office for training purposes so that when we take up government, I am solidly training to even take up big assignments from my bosses.