By Our Reporter
The latest coming from State House indicates that the viral letter purportedly authored and signed by President Museveni issued against Speaker Anita Among accusing her for wasting taxpayers’ money on Hon Mathias Mpuuga and other Parliamentary Commissioners is fake.
“The Presidential Press Unit – PPU wishes to inform the General Public that the letter circulating on social media purportedly authored by H.E The President on the subject of service awards to Parliamentary Commissioners is forged and should be ignored,” the Presidency said in a brief statement on Monday, May 13, 2024.
The ‘viral fake letter’ claimed that Mpuuga and other commissioners have accumulated primitive wealth through wetting their beaks with the so-called ‘service awards’. In the fake letter, ‘Museveni’ questioned what special services are offered by these people to be awarded over Ugx1 billion.
It’s worth noting that barely a year into office on March 6, 2022, the Parliamentary Commission doled out Shs500 million to Mr Mpuuga, who also received a bodyguard, while the former backbench commissioners each received Shs400 million.
The awards were given on a personal-to-holder basis, meaning the benefits were specific to the four officials and not the office they held.
“When we were fighting Obote and Amin, we used to call it a primitive accumulation of wealth. “Why? Officials under those regimes were trying to get for themselves as much money as possible in the quickest time possible, in the easiest way possible. We used to ask them, ‘Where does this leave your country?'” reads the fake letter.
Read It Below In Full;
3rd May, 2024
Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka
Attorney-General
THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA
State House,
P. O. Box 25497, Kampala, Uganda
RE: SERVICE AWARDS TO PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSIONERS
I have been following the public debate on the service awards apparently given to the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and what you call back-bench Parliamentary Commissioners in May 2022. A total of 1,700,000,000= (One billion, seven hundred million) was shared between Hon. Mathias Mpuuga and the three NRM-nominated Commissioners.
Were you aware of these ‘awards’? Or the Attorney General does not need to know about this. If you were aware, did you advise that it was legal? The Prime Minister and Finance Minister told me that they only learnt about it in the news, even when they are members of the Parliamentary Commission.
The moral question is settled. Such conduct is contrary to the revolutionary principles of the NRM. When we were fighting Obote and Amin, we used to call it the primitive accumulation of wealth. Why? Officials under those regimes were trying to get for themselves as much money as possible in the quickest time possible, in the easiest way possible. We used to ask them, “Where does this leave your country?”
How can Parliamentary Commissioners, who apparently earn more than other MPs award themselves all that money? What special services did they provide? Who approved the awards? I am told that it was never discussed by Parliament or the Committee on Legal Affairs. Find out.
When we are struggling to find the money for roads, electricity, and other sectors that bring value into our economy? However, conduct which is only immoral and not illegal may not be punished legally but politically. Advise on the legality of these service awards.
Did they violate the Leadership Code or the Anti-Corruption Act? If they did, what have the IGG and the CID done? Has everyone involved recorded statements? Is there an ongoing investigation? What about the DPP? If there is no legal but only a moral question, what has the NRM Parliamentary Caucus done?.
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