NRM seeks to reconcile Among, Namuganza
Combo: Speaker Anita Among (L) and State Minister for Housing, Ms Persis Namuganza (R)
What you need to know:
- Government says Parliament has more useful work to do than being sucked into conflicts between the two leaders.
As the bid to censure the State Minister for Housing, Ms Persis Namuganza, gains momentum in Parliament, the ruling NRM party has promised to reconcile her and Speaker of Parliament Anita Among.
The ICT and National Guidance Minister, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, while addressing journalists at Uganda Media Centre in Kampala yesterday, said the NRM thought it wise to reconcile the two leaders since they are party members.
“As NRM, we undertake to meet the two leaders, if there is a conflict, we will harmonise and reconcile them so that we can put more concentration on issues that benefit Ugandans but not quarrels between leaders,” Dr Baryomunsi said.
Legislators accuse Ms Namuganza of misconduct and abuse of office in allocating the Naguru-Nakawa land to investors.
Dr Baryomunsi said Parliament has more useful work to do instead of being sucked into such wars.
“We don’t want to see a situation where we are spending a lot of time and energy on such issues. When it comes to censuring a minister, there are more convincing and strong grounds, including convincing Ugandans on whether the minister should be censured or not but not the quarrels between leaders,” Dr Baryomunsi said.
On December 9, the Agago North MP, Mr Amos Okot, presented the motion to censure Ms Namuganza before Parliament.
It was seconded by Mr Yona Musinguzi, the Ntungamo Municipality MP.
Their decision came after Parliament adopted the report of the Rules, Privileges and Discipline Committee that found Ms Namuganza guilty of the offences and called for instituting a process that will censure her.
Ms Namuganza is accused of making statements about Parliament in the mainstream media and on social media attacking the operations of the House, questioning its powers, and the integrity of its presiding officers.
Article 118 (1) (b) of the Constitution states that Parliament may, by resolution supported by more than half of all MPs, pass a vote of censure against a minister on [given] grounds, including abuse of office or willful violation of the oath or allegiance or oath of office.
The MPs have since started signing a motion to trigger the censure from Cabinet.
