By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
The Nyendo-Mukungwe area Member of Parliament and former Leader of Opposition, Mathias Mpuuga has lashed out at fellow opposition leaders and MPs over what he termed as “political melodrama” surrounding the alleged Shs100 million cash payouts by President Museveni to parliamentarians.
Mpuuga, who has been under scrutiny himself over receiving the controversial funds, dismissed the public outrage as a distraction orchestrated by opposition figures to score media points rather than confront the root causes of corruption in government.
“I see individuals who are destined, who are charged with offering leadership, engaged in melodrama for the sake of a moment to capture attention and have a camera moment, it’s very unfortunate,” Mpuuga said. “If the opposition in parliament was truly interested in fighting corruption, they would begin with the committees they chair that are privy to where public resources are going.”
He specifically criticized the leadership of the opposition for what he described as double standards and insincerity in their oversight role. Citing a recent visit by the Leader of Opposition to Ntungamo, where he claimed public funds are being misused, Mpuuga questioned how one could simultaneously accept “gifts” and claim to be conducting oversight.
“That is duplicity, and I can never be part of duplicity,” Mpuuga asserted.
He went on to call for the anti-corruption police to summon all MPs involved in the saga for formal statements to be made, arguing that without transparency, those making noise in the media should be held in contempt by the public.
“They are actually promoters of runaway corruption, they were massaging it,” he charged.
Mpuuga’s remarks come amid increasing public frustration over alleged misuse of taxpayer funds, with the Shs100 million “service award” given to MPs becoming a lightning rod for accusations of patronage and elite impunity.
Background
The controversy stems from a secretive disbursement of Shs100 million to each MP, which was reportedly facilitated by State House and distributed through parliamentary channels a few weeks ago. While the official justification remains unclear, the payout has been widely condemned as a form of political patronage meant to placate legislators ahead of tabling the controversial UPDF Act Amendment Bill as well as a token of appreciation for supporting the rationalization of Uganda Coffee Development Authority to Ministry of Agriculture late last year.
Several opposition MPs, including Joel Ssenyonyi, have publicly questioned the legitimacy of the funds and demanded transparency, while others, like Mpuuga, have been criticized for accepting the money quietly.
By press time, the Leader of the Opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi, was yet to respond to Mpuuga’s sharp remarks.
