In a breaking news, the National Unity Platform (NUP) has taken a decisive step by dismissing its deputy president for Buganda, Mathias Mpuuga, citing allegations of corruption and abuse of office.
Recent revelations indicate that Mpuuga received a substantial sum of Shs500m under the guise of a ‘service award.’ Shockingly, this incident exposes yet another corruption scandal involving top parliamentary leaders who, despite the economy grappling with debt, apparently shared cash among themselves.
The NUP, in a released statement, disclosed that during a convened meeting, Mpuuga acknowledged his involvement in the alleged irregular awarding of significant amounts of taxpayers’ money, disguised as “Service Awards.” The statement conveyed the party’s stance on the matter, stating, “Specifically, our former Leader of Opposition in Parliament and current parliamentary commissioner, Rt Hon Mathias Mpuuga, alongside three other parliamentary commissioners, have been accused of irregularly awarding themselves huge sums of taxpayer’s money on the pretext of ‘Service Awards’….”
In response, Mpuuga was urged to step down from his role as a parliamentary commissioner, a position he assumed following the removal of Hon Francis Zaake in a parliamentary vote in 2022. The statement highlighted that during the meeting, Mpuuga admitted his wrongdoing and expressed apologies. The party emphasized that stepping down from his position was the morally appropriate course of action, which he should undertake immediately.
Having taken office as the Leader of the Opposition in May 2021, Mpuuga’s tenure was cut short after 2.5 years, following the precedent set by the FDC. Last year, he was replaced by first-time legislator and former COSASE chairperson Joel Ssenyonyi.
As this story unfolds, the question remains: Will Mpuuga adhere to the party’s directive to vacate his role in the parliamentary commission, a crucial leadership body within the House? Only time will reveal the outcome of this evolving situation.
