By Weswa Ronnie
NATIONAL
High Court in Kampala has today, 13th August, 2024 made a landmark ruling in a case against former leader of opposition Mathias Mpuuga and backbench commissioners that were awarded Shs 1.7 billion as a service award.
Justice Douglas Karekona Singiza ruled that, “the decision, dated 6 May 2022, to award the Leader of Opposition in Parliament (Hon. Matthias Mpuuga) Shs 500,000,000, and three other Commissioners UGX 400,000,000 each, as a service award was approved by Parliament and formed part of the budget presented by the executive as required by the Public Finance Management Act”.
According to Justice Karekona, the allowances of members of the parliamentary commission are determined by the commission with the approval of Parliament as prescribed by Section 42 of the Administration of the Parliament Act (AOPA).
Court further ruled that the service award was approved by Parliament in the Appropriation Bill under the title ‘Ex-gratia for political leaders.’
The judge emphasised: “The impugned [questioned] payment was approved by parliament in the Appropriation Bill under the title ‘Ex-gratia for Political Leaders the fact that this vote formed part of the Appropriations Act is proof that the Minister of Finance had the opportunity to scrutinize the payment and that Parliament approved the ex-gratia vote.”
However, court has directed the secretary to treasurer to probe and discipline the clerk to parliament Adolf Mwesigwa for his involvement in the contested service award.
Parliament awarded Shs 500 million to former LOP Mathias Mpuuga and Shs 400 million each to commissioners Solomon Silwany (MP Bukooli county central), Prossy Mbabazi (DW MP Rubanda) and Esther Afoyochan (Zombo DW MP).
The service award raised controversy at parliament and in the public prompting some legislators to call for the censure of all beneficiaries of the service award.
MP Theodore Ssekikubo (Lwemiyaga county), the leader of the censure motion handed over the motion to censure Mpuuga and the three backbench commissioners to the clerk to parliament Adolf Mwesigwa.
The motion was signed by 189 members of parliament.
Meanwhile the former Leader of Opposition Mathias Mpuuga has welcomed the court ruling that upheld the Shs1.7Bn Service Award, saying the MPs leading the censure of the Commissioners are clueless about Parliament rules and practices and are thus a burden to taxpayers, because the Court Ruling, has vindicated his team’s argument that the Service Award was legally approved in Parliament.
Mpuuga made the remarks in the media interview he where asked Ugandans to not just use their mouths, but also brains & ears, saying had they effectively used all the parts on their heads, they wouldn’t have orchestrated an 8 months attack to taint his image & reputation over the service award.
“The Court in its powers decided that some right thinking Ugandans and those who have been following the discussion that any MP that doesn’t understand the processes of Parliament is just a burden to taxpayers. The Court’s ruling is what we said from the start that all these matters were handled legally. Individually, this issue has been capitalized on by many people to disrespect me, but I want to thank all Ugandans who stood with me,” said Mpuuga.
“With the court ruling, I will be informing Ugandans my next step especially all the things that have been done by individuals that have been trying to soil my image and reputation by hiding other such issue and it is a pity that some of these individuals claim they are educated, but I will leave that to God. Whatever the Court has given us, we shall move with that maybe, the people God gave heads that have mouths, ears, eyes and brains, the ruling of court could help them to know that they should never use their mouth alone, but they should use all the parts on their head,” remarked Mpuuga.
“All those people that have been backstabbing me, I wait to see what they are going to tell the nation about me, but in all this, I will continue fulfilling my responsibility and I won’t waste my efforts on people that have been wasting my time. They have harmed me for the past 8 months focusing all their energy on me as an individual but that is how things are now, I will be informing the nation of my next step,” added Mpuuga.
