Man runs to court seeking a declaration that the service award for the four commissioners was an act of illegality.

A concerned Ugandan Bwete Daniel has gone to court seeking a declaration that the service award was an act of illegality.

The case was filed at the civil division of the High Court and seeks to declare the service award unlawful. 

The concerned party has been given seven days to file their case, while the Parliamentary Commission has been given 3 days to respond. The case will be mentioned again on the 8th of next month.

The four commissioners came into the public spotlight at the start of this year following reports that they sat and shared Shs1.7 billion as a service award.

 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.

A section of legislators led by Theodore Ssekikubo (Lwemiyaga County) has called for the removal of all four MPs from the Parliamentary Commission over the Shs1.7 billion they shared amongst themselves as service award.

Speaking at a press briefing at Parliament on Tuesday, the legislators said the ouster of the commissioners will restore the dignity and integrity of Parliament, and also maintain and strengthen the public trust and confidence in the House.

The commissioners they want removed are Esther Afoyochan (Zombo Woman), Prossy Akampulira (Rubanda Woman), Solomon Silwany (Bukooli Central) and Mathias Mpuuga (Nyendo-Mukungwe).

The MPs  accuse members of the Parliamentary Commission of misconduct when they allegedly made deals to award themselves a monthly salary of Shs23M, on top of the salary they’re already drawing as MPs without seeking approval from the House.

According to Ssekikubo, the censure motion will only require 177 signatures, and called on all MPs to come out of hiding and append their signatures to the censure motion in order to save Uganda from being hijacked by the dogs.

He said: “Duty demands that MPs must come back, they can’t keep hiding, we aren’t interested in other officers, but the Commissioners are ours, we must set the example, we must say no to the misconduct, to the diversion of public funds for personal aggrandizement and this is the time. The Commissioners, now is their time, they can step down, they can resign before the motion catches up with them.”

Joseph Ssewungu (Kalungu West) thanked Ssekikubo for taking the bold step at initiation the censure motion, saying this will save MPs who have been criticized for their silence over the service award among their electorates.

“In our areas they have been attacking us that we were all bought because we are saying nothing. And all our efforts must be geared towards putting the image of this institution ahead of others. Look at our new chambers that they are building, they are all stuck, now we appointed Commissioners, they are supposed to push for the construction of the new chambers but they are there enjoying themselves with money,” said Ssewungu.

“But we call upon MPs to examine their conscience and to have love for the country, short of that, the country is going to the dogs. You people, we are going to lose this country because if we fail here at Parliament, the watchdog, then the country is as good as gone,” added Ssewungu.

Patrick Oshabe (Kassanda North) wondered why Mathias Mpuuga is still masquerading as the Commissioner, yet his Party, the National Unity Platform that seconded his appointment as Commissioner declared the service award as immoral.

“You can appropriate yourself Shs500m, you can’t appropriate yourself Shs23M for your own benefit and you do nothing about the people you represent. The service award was immoral, it wasn’t right. Mpuuga, the National Unity Platform told you this was immoral, but you continue masquerading as Commissioner, when the Party that appointed you, told you that this was immoral.”

Sarah Opendi (Tororo Woman) asked Ugandans to ensure that all their MPs append their signatures on the censure motion remarking, “I also want to call upon the voters to cross check whether your MPs have appended their signatures, we shall be publishing this list and please see those MPs who aren’t here to serve you and MPs.”

Yorke Alion (Aringa South) remarked, “The time is now, Parliament is the highest institution in this country, we aren’t going to promote acts of corruption. Commissioners are our representatives and we advised them to resign, up to today, they have refused to step aside. We are now taking action to impeach them.”