Kampala, (UG):- Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, President of the National Unity Platform (NUP), finds himself entangled in a legal quagmire as his efforts to dismiss Nyendo-Mukungwe MP, Hon Mathias Mpuuga, from his role as a Commissioner of Parliament hit a procedural roadblock.
The endeavor, ostensibly fueled by allegations of corruption and abuse of office, has come under intense scrutiny regarding its procedural legitimacy.
The saga unfolded with a public statement from the National Executive Committee (NEC) of NUP on March 15th, 2024, bearing the signature of Dr. Lina Zedriga Waru, Acting President of NUP. The statement accused Hon. Mpuuga of involvement in corrupt practices, allegedly alongside NRM Parliamentary Commissioners.
NEC’s assertion pointed to irregular allocations of significant sums of money as “Service Awards” during a meeting chaired by Speaker of Parliament Rt Hon Anita Among, actions deemed antithetical to the party’s ethos.
However, as investigations progress, it emerges that the NEC’s resolution lacked a legal foothold.
Independent assessments reveal that the removal of a Commissioner of Parliament is rigorously regulated by Rule 110 of the Rules of Procedure of Parliament.
These rules stipulate that any removal must commence with a motion for a resolution, requiring written notice to the Clerk of Parliament and the endorsement of not less than one-third of all voting members. Furthermore, the actual removal mandates a vote of at least half of all voting members of Parliament.
Contrary to claims by the NUP NEC, the Clerk of Parliament has confirmed the absence of any such notice for Mpuuga’s removal within the stipulated timeframe.
