KAMPALA – On Thursday, the National Unity Platform – NUP president, Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine fired his Deputy President (Central) Mathias Mpuuga, the Nyendo-Mukungwe MP from the position on accusations of corruption and misuse of office in parliament.
Mr. Wine accuses the former Leader of Opposition of conniving with the NRM Parliamentary Commissioners in the irregular self-allocation of 1.7 billion shillings as “Service Awards” in a meeting chaired by Ms. Anita Among, the Speaker of Parliament in which Mpuuga pocketed shs500 million.
In his letter, he said, “On the 6th day of May 2022, while you served as Leader of the Opposition in Parliament- a position to which you were seconded by the Party, you participated in a meeting at which you, together with three NRM-nominated Parliamentary Commissioners, allocated yourselves 1.700.000.000/- (Uganda Shillings One Billion, Seven Hundred Million), under the pretext of “Service Awards”. You were personally allocated 500,000,000/= (Uganda Shillings Five Hundred Million). This was an act of corruption and abuse of office, which violated numerous laws, including Section 9(1) of the Leadership Code Act (2002) which prohibits leaders from taking part in meetings at which matters of personal interest to them are to be discussed.”
“You have thus far failed to provide any satisfactory explanation for engaging in this action which goes against the vision, mission and objectives of the Party. It also goes against Article 5.3 (b) and (f) of the Party Constitution which obligates party members to conduct themselves in a manner that does not bring disrepute to the name of the party, as well as practice accountable leadership.”
He added, “In accordance with Articles 6.3 (h) and 7.1 (e) of the Party Constitution, I hereby suspend you from the position of Deputy President of the National Unity Platform for Central Region with immediate effect, and accordingly refer the matter to the National Executive committee for further processing.”
In his response, Mpuuga said, “I appreciate and sympathize with you on the current desperate situation,” noting that he understands that Mr. Wine is under siege [but] “I don’t know how to help you and support you.”
“In view of the contents of the impugned document, that the person suspended failed to supply a satisfactory explanation, yet the same person was earlier on reported to have confessed and apologised, I don’t know how to rescue you and the party from the captors,” he said in a statement.
He noted, “The prevailing desperate situation and the circumstances we find ourselves in, will afford me more time and space to consult with the rank and file of the party for a way forward.”
“Accept once again my sympathies for the unyielding siege that has impaired judgement at the highest echelons of the party.”