By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
The Lwemiyaga County MP, Theodore Ssekikubo has revealed that members of parliament from 37 districts totally declined to sign the motion seeking to censure the four Commissioners accused of awarding themselves Shs1.7Bn Service Award.
Ssekkikubo further added that the UPDF Representatives in Parliament also declined to sign the motion, as well as MPs representing the Elderly, while amongst the Workers MPs, only Byakatonda Abdulhu, backed the motion.
Districts without MPs that signed the censure motion include Mitooma, Bukedea, Ntoroko, Pakwach, Rwampala, Kazo, Kyenjojo, Ibanda, Katakwi, Zombo, Moyo, Ameria among others. Out of 37 districts that declined to sign the motion, 14 are western Uganda districts where a number of corrupt government officials were previously implicated in corruption scandals.
Prominent figures from these districts are Hon. Thomas Tayebwa Bangirana, deputy speaker of parliament and MP representing Ruhinda North in Mitooma, Dickson Kateshumbwa, former URA commissioner and representative for Sheema municipality, Sheema, Dan Atwijukire Kimosho, MP representing Kazo county Kazo, MPs Xavier Kyooma and Tarsis Rwaburindori Bishanga representing Ibanda North county and Ibanda municipality respectively among others.
Nevertheless, a number of 186 MPs have so far signed the motion calling for the censure motion against former Leader of the Opposition, Mathias Mpuuga, and three other former backbench commissioners – Solomon Silwany (Bukooli Central), Esther Afoyochan (Zombo Woman), and Prossy Mbabazi (Rubanda Woman) implicated in the controversial Shs1.7Bn Service Award, despite having served for less than a year in their roles.
Speaking to journalists at Parliament on Friday, Ssekikubo dismissed reports of failing to collect the required signatures and warned against attempts to withdraw signatures and tampering with the committee reports and the parliamentary hansard.
“We have released the final list of legislators who have appended their signatures to the motion, dismissing claims that we lacked sufficient support.”
“Some MPs are being coerced or enticed to withdraw their signatures,” Ssekikubo said. “We are aware of these tactics, but the rules clearly state that signatures cannot be withdrawn. We will not be intimidated or swayed from our pursuit of accountability and transparency in Parliament.”
He said a notice to the Clerk to Parliament will be issued on Monday next week, paving the way for the tabling of the motion.