Summary:
- “I am among the longest-serving MPs here. In the last 23 years, we have never paid a Commissioner anything. I was a Leader of Opposition and improved that office significantly, which is why it is now highly contested. What special contributions have these Commissioners made to warrant such a reward? They have merely populated Parliament with their relatives. This is unacceptable,” remarked Mafabi.
- Mafabi demanded the refund of the Shs1.7 billion service award by the four Commissioners.
KAMPALA: The Budadiri West MP, Nandala Mafabi, has called for the arrest of all MPs on the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee for approving the Shs1.7 billion Service Award given to the four embattled Commissioners. He argues that their only notable achievement has been filling Parliament with their relatives in lucrative staff positions.
Speaking to journalists after signing the censure motion, Mafabi noted that in his 23 years in Parliament, no Commissioner has ever been paid any service award. He insists the MPs on the Legal Committee should be arrested, similar to their counterparts on the Budget Committee, who are currently under police custody for corruption.
“I am among the longest-serving MPs here. In the last 23 years, we have never paid a Commissioner anything. I was a Leader of Opposition and improved that office significantly, which is why it is now highly contested. What special contributions have these Commissioners made to warrant such a reward? They have merely populated Parliament with their relatives. This is unacceptable,” remarked Mafabi.
Mafabi argued that when Parliament debates ministerial policy statements, committees are required to highlight vital issues. However, the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee never mentioned the service award for Commissioners.
“If these Commissioners had truly served us exceptionally, it would have been noted and credited by Parliament. Instead, they have only overpopulated Parliament with their relatives. The Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee should have highlighted any exceptional contributions. Since they did not, and we saw no such contributions, the Committee should be held accountable, just like the Budget Committee MPs. They must have been compensated to keep quiet, and this must be investigated,” added Mafabi.
Mafabi demanded the refund of the Shs1.7 billion service award by the four Commissioners. “We must tackle this vice. The sooner these MPs refund our money, the better. If they don’t, they should come and defend themselves. We are waiting for that debate to see what exceptional contributions they claim to have made,” said Mafabi.
Lutamaguzi Ssemakula (Nakaseke South) supported Mafabi, saying, “History has exonerated you. I initially thought you also supported these people taking our country’s money.”
Theodore Ssekikubo (Lwemiyaga County) revealed that Speaker Among has promised not to interfere with the signature collection process for the motion to censure the four Commissioners over the Shs1.7 billion Service Award. This assurance came after he clarified that the motion does not target the Speaker.
Addressing journalists after a closed-door meeting with Speaker Among at Parliament, Ssekikubo noted that the Speaker promised to allow the debate to proceed if MPs wish to discuss the matter. “We have had a good interaction with Speaker Among. From day one, we insisted this motion isn’t intended to attack the Speaker. She is equally concerned about Parliament and has no intention of interfering with the process. If MPs feel the need to discuss this matter, so be it,” said Ssekikubo.
Ssekikubo also welcomed the support from FDC Secretary General, describing it as a significant boost to the exercise. The motion will be open for signatures until June 14, 2024, to allow all MPs, including those upcountry, to participate.
“We are nearing the end of our signature collection and will continue up to Friday, June 14, 2024. We hope that by then, upcountry members will have signed the motion. The support from the FDC Secretary General, a former Leader of Opposition, has been invaluable,” remarked Ssekikubo.
The embattled Commissioners include Esther Afoyochan (Zombo District Woman Representative), Prossy Mbabazi Akampulira Begumisa (Rubanda District Woman Representative), Solomon Silwany (Bukooli Central MP), and Mathias Mpuuga (Nyendo-Mukungwe). They are accused of allocating themselves Shs1.7 billion as service awards and a monthly salary of Shs23 million, in addition to their emoluments as MPs, without seeking Parliamentary approval.
