The Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party is convening to determine the fate of its embattled parliamentary commissioners.
Solomon Silwany, the MP for Bukooli Central; Esther Afoyochan, the Woman MP for Zombo; and Prossy Mbabazi, the Woman MP for Rubanda, are expected to be removed from their positions as the NRM seeks to address the controversy before it escalates further.
These three commissioners were implicated in a scandal involving a Shs1.7 billion service award, which they, along with their then Leader of the Opposition, Mathias Mpuuga, negotiated and received in 2022.
Each of the NRM legislators received Shs400 million, a gratuity that was approved without being presented to the floor of Parliament for discussion.
Insiders from Parliament and the CEC meeting have revealed that the ruling party is keen to prevent the issue from reaching the parliamentary floor for debate, fearing the potential damage to the party’s reputation.
The CEC is contemplating ending the two-and-a-half-year terms of their commissioners prematurely in an effort to protect the image of the NRM government.
Silwany, Afoyochan, and Mbabazi are facing censure after members from their own party, led by Theodore Ssekikubo (MP for Lwemiyaga County) and Sarah Opendi (Woman MP for Tororo), initiated a motion to have them impeached.
The censure motion was initiated three weeks ago and is set to conclude today.
Additionally, the CEC will address other significant matters, including the approval of NRM members to various parliamentary committees and the appointment of new committee chairpersons.
This scandal has cast a shadow over the NRM, prompting swift action from the party’s leadership. The decision to remove the commissioners reflects an attempt to maintain internal discipline and public trust.
The issue at hand underscores the NRM’s effort to manage internal conflicts and uphold its image as a governing body committed to transparency and accountability. The removal of the commissioners, if decided, will serve as a demonstration of the party’s commitment to these principles.
The CEC’s decisions in this meeting are critical, as they will not only address the immediate controversy but also set a precedent for handling future internal issues within the party. As the censure motion closes, all eyes will be on the outcomes and the subsequent impact on the NRM’s standing in Parliament and among the public.
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