News
Gov’t blocks opposition move to force Parliament to address corruption allegations
Leader of Opposition in Parliament Joel Ssenyonyi asked Speaker Among to recall Parliament to address the corruption allegations
Some Members of Parliament from the ruling NRM have joined a call by the Leader of Opposition in Parliament Joel Ssenyonyi to pressure Speaker Annet Anita Among to recall Parliament from recess to address the ongoing corruption scandal in which the Speaker herself is allegedly the key suspect.
Lwemiyaga county MP
Theodore Ssekikuubo and Bernabas Tinkasimire told a news conference that they support the call by the opposition to have Parliament explain.
“We can’t now walk with our heads high on the streets of Kampala, we smuggle ourselves and bolt out. It isn’t now the best time to be identified as MPs. We are all bundled up, nobody is giving answers, should we all go by roll call, not me, not me? We are all being castigated and we look bad in the eyes of the public,” said Theodore Ssekikuubo, per Parliament Watch.
He added, “Even the Commissioners themselves are in hiding. We are here, we are loitering around corridors of Parliament, we can’t see anybody. These are very disturbing issues and we are calling on the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and the Clerk to live up to their calling to restore Parliament. Parliament is being run down.”
Seekikuubo’s remarks followed those of LOP Joel Ssenyonyi who wrote to Speaker Among to recall Parliament to explain to Ugandans the allegations.
Ssenyonyi said: “Parliament of Uganda must unequivocally explain to the people of Uganda, all these various allegations of staff recruitments that are irregular, monies that are spent in manners that aren’t understandable. We are accountable to the people of Uganda, and no one should say, it isn’t the business of the public, this is their money, so how do you say, it isn’t their business? If we are to be a people centered Parliament, we must account,” Joel Ssenyonyi said during a news conference.
Ssenyonyi challenged the leadership at Parliament to break the silence about the ongoing corruption allegations against the legislature.
The Opposition’s demand appears to have been rebuffed by the Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja who allegedly ordered the Clark to Parliament to retract a call he had issued to members for a plenary meeting.
“The Prime Minister is telling Parliament, you can’t sit. This is very strange; Parliament has been captured. This is the Parliament of the Republic of Uganda; it isn’t the branch of the Executive. It isn’t, in my long tenure here, this is strange. Where did Nabbanja get the power to counter-command Parliament? I know we don’t look good, but they shouldn’t take advantage of the vacuum where the Speaker and Deputy Speaker is in disarray,” added Ssekikuubo, according to Parliament Watch.
Ssenyonyi who is also the Nakawa West Member of Parliament had stressed that Ugandans who are the taxpayers deserve accountability regarding the recent corruption allegations on social media under the #UgandaParliamentExhibition.
Among numerous graft allegations involving the institution include the service awards where commissioners shared billions of shillings, irregular staff recruitment, the speaker’s per diem allowance reported to have been increased from 990 to 4000 US Dollars, a procurement of contract worth over 3 billion shillings awarded to a local radio station in Bukedea.
Ssenyonyi stressed that Parliament must respond to all these corruption allegations if the institution is to live to its vision of being a people’s centered Parliament. He warned that failure to resume parliament within a period of one week, the shadow cabinet will determine its next cause of action.
Comments
