It Was An Immoral Act!! Museveni Demands For Investigations Into Shs 1.7Bn Reward To Parliamentary Commissioners Including Mpuuga’s Shs 500M Reward

President Museveni has said it was “immoral” for Parliamentary Commissioners including Leader of Opposition Mathias Mpuuga to award themselves Shs 1.7bn in service awards.

“How can Parliamentary Commissioners, who apparently earn more than other MPs, award themselves all that money?” wondered Museveni in a letter to Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka dated May 3, 2024.

“What special services did they provide? Who approved the awards?”

In May 2022, the Commissioners resolved to grant a ‘one time pay-off service award of Shs 500m for the Leader of Opposition’ and another pay-off of Shs 400m to the backbench Parliament commissioners. The report sparked public outrage.

The Clerk to Parliament, Adolf Mwesige defended the service awards, saying, “the payment, if made today or tomorrow, is legal and proper. It is also budgeted for because that budget which gives a service award is approved by Parliament and the Executive.” He termed the pay ‘akasiimo’, meaning a token of appreciation.

“The office of LOP is a constitutional office. Although there is a lacuna in the law, the Parliamentary Commission has powers under the Administration of Parliament Act to determine the benefits and allowances of LOP and other MPs, including the vice president and prime minister,” he told the media.

Asked why all Mpuuga’s predecessors (former leaders of the opposition) were not given this service award, Mwesige, a former MP, said: “The Bible itself says there is time for everything. When I joined Parliament in 1996, Speakers were not entitled to a pension. Even MPs were not paid by the Parliamentary Commission because it wasn’t there, but a time came when the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and MPs were awarded a pension.”

Museveni Reacts

However, President Museveni informed Kiryowa that he was “told that it (service awards) was never discussed by Parliament or the Committee on Legal Affairs. Find out. When we are struggling to find money for roads, electricity, and other sectors that bring value into our economy?”

Museveni added: “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?”

It remains unclear why Museveni is coming out now, many months after the information became public. The development comes just days after President Museveni asked the Inspector General of Government (IGG) to investigate reports by British authorities that Among has properties in the UK. Among said she didn’t “even have a pussycat in the UK.” It remains to be seen if CID will summon the Parliament Commissioners to record statements.

Mpuuga rejected calls for resignation, saying, “Every decision of the Commission to confer or reward anyone under its charge, is subjected to the relevant committees of Parliament for legality, feasibility, sustainability, and relevancy.”

He emphasised: “To call any such payments corruption is the highest level of spite, double standards and deliberate misrepresentation to the public and membership of the Party on a purely selfish and malicious mission.”

Mpuuga said, “If such payments amounted to corruption, all current and previous MPs would be compelled to refund to the public coffers monies paid as gratuity or honoraria since no MP, current and previous was not paid gratuity at the determination of the parliamentary Commission.”

However, National Unity Platform (NUP) President Robert Kyagulanyi said “Mpuuga admitted that he wrongfully awarded himself Shs 500 million, and to make it even worse, this was supposed to be person-holder to him, not to benefit those that came before him or those that are coming after him.”