Am Tired, Nkooye: Furious Museveni Fires NRM Parliamentary Commission Members As Fight Against Corruption Gets Hotter!

By Frank Kamuntu

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has ordered that all parliamentary committee chairpersons who subscribe to the NRM must be set aside, and new ones appointed.

The call came as the president met with the NRM Central Executive Committee at State House Entebbe, ahead of a decision by the house to designate committee chairpersons.

According to a CEC resolution, the Government Chief Whip has been tasked with presenting the new nominees for the various parliamentary committees. “CEC resolved to mandate the Government Chief Whip to present the approved nominees for designation to the respective parliamentary committees and defer the designation for the vacant leadership positions of the sessional committees for two weeks,” the resolution read.

This sweeping reorganization affects a broad range of committees, including key sectors such as Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Defence and Internal Affairs, East African Community Affairs, Education and Sports, Environment and Natural Resources, Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Foreign Affairs, and Gender, Labour and Social Development.

Other committees impacted include Health, Information, Communication Technology and National Guidance, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Presidential Affairs, Public Service and Local Government, Tourism, Trade and Industry, and Physical Infrastructure.

The new decision by NRM’s CEC follows corruption allegations at Parliament. Some members of parliament have already been remanded on corruption charges, with a couple of others expected to report to CID for questioning.

Last week, MPs Yusuf Mutembuli; Lwengo Woman MP, Cissy Namujju and Paul Akamba were sent on remand to Luzira prison for allegedly soliciting a twenty percent share of the budget of Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) in exchange for influencing its increase.

Also, CID summoned MPs Michael Mawanda and Ignatius Wamakuye Mudimi, over their alleged involvement in corruption and theft of funds meant for Cooperatives.

Uganda’s corruption is in various categories, as seen below;

1. Grand-Scale Theft and Petty Corruption:
   • Uganda faces both grand-scale thefts of public funds and petty corruption involving public officials at all levels.
   • Widespread political patronage systems contribute to this corruption.
2. Elite Corruption and Foreign Aid:
   • Elite corruption in Uganda operates through a patronage system, which foreign aid has exacerbated.
   • Aid provides the government with substantial resources, contributing to corrupt practices within the country.
   • Officials often use corruption to gain loyalty and support, allowing them to remain in power.
3. Recent Forms of Corruption:
   • Public procurement has become a hotspot for corruption due to lack of transparency in government transactions.
   • The process of giving gifts in exchange for favors has deep historical roots in Ugandan tradition.
4. Corruption Perception Index (CPI):
   • According to the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International, Uganda ranks as the 141st least corrupt nation out of 180 countries.
   • The country’s corruption rank has fluctuated over the years, with an all-time high of 151 in 2016 and a record low of 43 in 1996.

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