NUP asks Mpuuga to step down over Shs500m 'service award'
L-R: National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, alias Bobi Wine outgoing Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LoP), Mathias Mpuuga and the new LoP, Joel Ssenyonyi during the unveiling of the new shadow cabinet at the party headquarters in Kampala on December 22, 2023. PHOTO/ MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI
What you need to know:
- Accusations against Mr Mpuuga are part of the revelation by the public under the ongoing social media exhibition on the activities of the Parliament.
The Opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) has advised Nyendo - Mukungwe MP, Mathias Mpuuga to step down from his role as parliamentary commissioner--- barely three months after he was appointed to the office--- on allegations of corruption and abuse of office.
In a statement posted on the party's X (formally Twitter) handle, the former Leader of Opposition who doubles as NUP Deputy President (Buganda region) is accused of receiving Shs500 million as 'service award'.
The development comes after the champions of an ongoing online campaign to expose corruption in Parliament accused Mr Mpuuga and three other parliamentary commissioners of irregularly awarding themselves millions of taxpayers' money under the pretext of 'service awards.'
Mr Mpuuga is said to have been allocated Shs500 million.
Nyendo - Mukungwe MP, Mathias Mpuuga. PHOTO/ FILE
In the wake of the allegations, NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine on Wednesday reportedly convened an urgent meeting comprised of senior leaders of the party, including all deputy presidents and some senior legislators to address the matter.
"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," a copy of the statement posted by Mr Kyagulanyi on his X handle reads in part hours after the Wednesday meeting.
The party emphasized that Mr Mpuuga's actions are entirely against the NUP core values which includep discipline, reliability, inclusiveness, integrity, patriotism and service.
"We therefore, ask our leaders at all levels to do self-reflection and recommit themselves to these values and the Oath they took to shun and fight corruption in all its forms," the NUP Thursday circular added.
Accusations against Mr Mpuuga are part of the revelation by the public under the ongoing social media exhibition on the activities of the Parliament.
The social media exhibition particularly targets to expose acts of corruption, abuse of office and mismanagement of public funds, among others.
Mr Mpuuga was yet to comment on the matter by the time of filing this story as our repeated phonecalls to his known phone numbers went unanswered.
Since his reshuffle from being the Leader of Opposition, a position he had served for only two-and-half years, Mpuuga has always found himself clashing with the top party leaders with the recent development being his suspension of the party's mobilisation campaign known as 'Kunga' in Greater Masaka, reportedly without consulting the top leadership of the party.
