Theodore Ssekikubo, MP for Lwemiyaga County, has revealed that the ongoing exercise to collect signatures for the removal of four Parliamentary Commissioners has gained momentum so far.
However, the MP who plans to move a censure motion in parliament has not disclosed the number of signatures collected. Ssekikubo mentioned that at the end of the day, they will publish and show which MPs are supporting the corrupt or striving against corruption.
The targeted commissioners are Esther Afoyochan (Zombo Woman Representative), Prossy Akampulira (Rubanda Woman Representative), Solomon Silwany (Bukooli Central), and Mathias Mpuuga (Nyendo-Mukungwe).
The four MPs are accused of allocating themselves service awards of between Shs400m to Shs500m and a monthly salary of Shs23m, in addition to their regular emoluments as MPs, without seeking Parliamentary approval. Ssekikubo emphasized the importance of this initiative as a stand against corruption and for the promotion of accountability and transparency in Parliament.
“Today we are entering our fourth day of collecting signatures. This is the struggle of the people of Uganda. If the people could come by themselves here, the story would be different. But we hope and trust that each MP, who was voted to serve their people, will now show where they stand on the question of accountability and transparency,” Ssekikubo stated.
Ssekikubo expressed satisfaction with the response so far, noting strong support from both the NRM and the opposition. He emphasized that the issue transcends party lines and is a matter of national concern.
“Parliament must stand for transparency and accountability, which are the hallmarks of any democracy. So far we are doing well; we aren’t worried about signatures. Even those members who are pondering, each member must stand to be counted. We shall publish and show which side their MPs are on either for the corrupt or those striving against corruption,” he added.
According to Ssekikubo, the motion requires 177 signatures to proceed. He called on all MPs to support the motion to prevent the misuse of public funds. “Duty demands that MPs must come back; they can’t keep hiding. We must say no to the misconduct, to the diversion of public funds for personal aggrandizement,” he urged.
At a press briefing at Parliament last Tuesday, Ssekikubo and other legislators asserted that the removal of the commissioners would restore the dignity and integrity of Parliament, and maintain and strengthen public trust and confidence in the institution.
The MPs accuse the commissioners of misconduct for allegedly awarding themselves a monthly salary and 1.7 b shillings as ‘service award’ without Parliamentary approval. They argue that this move will help restore Parliament’s dignity and integrity, and strengthen public trust.
“They never presented it [the service award proposal] to Parliament; it was kept a secret. It wasn’t known, it was their own deal, and we say, this can’t be left unchallenged. The conduct of the members affronts the dignity of Parliament, degrading public trust and confidence in the institution,” Ssekikubo stated last week. He emphasized that their actions constitute misbehavior and misconduct, making them liable for removal under the Rules of Procedure of Parliament, the Constitution, and the Administration of the Parliament Act.
Ssekikubo criticized the creation of the service award, describing it as illegal.
“They created a service award which is unknown to law and in law, thereby failing in their duty to uphold the laws of Uganda. This is totally unknown and as you are aware, this very Parliament in the 10th Parliament had thoroughly investigated the so-called service award by MPs,” he added.
The Parliamentary Commission, chaired by the Speaker, is the top decision-making body within the Parliament. The Deputy Speaker serves as the Vice Chairperson of the Commission. Other members include the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, the Leader of the Opposition, and four backbench commissioners. The backbench commissioners serve a term of two and a half years.
Sources within Parliament reveal that each commissioner is entitled to a monthly honorarium of UGX 4.2 million and provided with an official chauffeured car, a fuel card worth UGX 4 million per month, a personal assistant, and two domestic servants.
Censuring a parliamentary commissioner requires a motion for censure that must be initiated by a member of Parliament. This motion must be supported by at least one-third of all the Members of Parliament (MPs) for it to be tabled for debate.
This must be backed by grounds for Censure which could include misconduct, abuse of office, incompetence, or failure to perform duties as expected. The parliamentary commissioner facing censure must be given written notice of the intention to move the motion against them. This notice should detail the grounds upon which the censure is based.
Once the motion is supported and notice is given, the Speaker may refer the matter to the appropriate parliamentary committee for investigation. The committee will examine the evidence and provide a report on whether the grounds for censure are substantiated.
The committee’s report is then presented to the whole Parliament. The report includes the findings of the investigation and recommendations regarding the censure.
Following the presentation of the committee report, the motion is debated in Parliament. Members of Parliament can discuss the findings and express their views on the matter. A vote is taken after the debate. To successfully censure a parliamentary commissioner, a majority of the MPs present and voting must support the motion.
If the motion passes, the parliamentary commissioner is censured, which can lead to various consequences, including removal from the commission or other disciplinary actions, depending on the severity of the findings and the decision of Parliament.
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