126 MPs sign petition to kick Namuganza out of Cabinet
State Minister for Lands, Ms Persis Namuganza during plenary session at Parliament on December 7, 2022. PHOTO/DAVID LUBOWA
What you need to know:
Mr Yona Musinguzi, the seconder of the motion, yesterday told the Monitor that by the time he had checked, at least 126 legislators had appended their signatures and more were still flocking to sign.
At least 126 legislators have signed the motion to oust Ms Persis Namuganza, the State minister for Housing, from Cabinet, inching closer to the required 176 number to take the battle to the floor of Parliament.
Mr Yona Musinguzi, the seconder of the motion, yesterday told the Monitor that by the time he had checked, at least 126 legislators had appended their signatures and more were still flocking to sign.
“The turnout has been so good and more members are flocking to sign. We launched the exercise at weekend and members came back on Monday. However, the support is overwhelming,” he said.
We were unable to independently verify the figures because the Office of Clerk to Parliament that handles the process did not respond to our requests for information.
Mr Musinguzi said when they reach the 176 mark, the motion will be taken to the Clerk to Parliament who will within 24 hours forward it to the Speaker for onward consideration.
“We are determined to proceed with this motion so that those who think they can make reckless statements and forge documents face the consequences. There is nothing personal between me and her (Namuganza) and she is my friend but what she did was wrong and therefore she must pay for it,” he said.
If Ms Namuganza is censured, she will join Mr Sam Kutesa and Maj Gen Jim Muhwezi who have in the past been censured over abuse of office. But this was before return of multiparty democracy. Since 2005 when the country shifted to multiparty politics, the ruling NRM party has always used its numerical advantage to save its members.
Motions to censure both Maj Gen Muhwezi and the late Gen Elly Tumwine in the 10th Parliament collapsed because majority of NRM members refused to sign the censure motions.
