[Ugnet] Third Term MPs Get Shs5 Million

Some MPs have said government agents are openly dishing out Sh5 million to selected Members of Parliament who agree to support the Cabinet White Paper.

Parliamentarians The Monitor talked to yesterday said those dishing out the money were doing it from Mosa Courts Apartments on Nile Avenue.

In a related development, the MP for Lwemiyaga constituency, Theodore Ssekikubo yesterday wrote a letter to President Yoweri Museveni in which he accused the State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Hope Mwesigye, of dishing out money to MPs and Cabinet members to buy their support for the third term.

Tensions were high at Parliament Building yesterday as MPs from different political persuasions discussed this recent revelation coming less than twelve hours after the National Resistance Movement (NRM) vice chairman, Bidandi Ssali had been forced to apologise before the party interim executive committee meeting for alleging that the NRM was using money to buy support for the third term.

Meanwhile, Ssekikubo later called a press conference during which he openly denounced Mwesigye and MPs Anifa Kawoya, Oliver Wonekha and Charles Bakabulindi of "giving out money of Shs 5 million each to ministers and MPs that were coming to (Mosa Courts)." Movement Vice Chairman Moses Kigongo owns Mosa Courts.

"Payment to me was stopped until I fulfill the following conditions," Ssekikubo's press statement read in part, "First that I state my position as clearly as Hon. Emmanuel Dombo, Hon. F. Ruhindi and Hon. Henry Banyenzaki in respect of supporting third term, and second that I should go out to propagate the two Movement resolutions of Kyankwanzi and International Conference Centre on lifting the term limits and opening up political space."

Ssekikubo alleged that he was asked to declare the above "through a public meeting or a press conference" and that due to time constraints, he has opted for the press conference.

In a damning letter to President Museveni, Ssekikubo said: "It is very despicable and debasing for respectable MPs to be treated like cheap prostitutes," to which Aggrey Awori protested during lunch that he (Awori) represents prostitutes and knows they are not cheap.

Meantime, the chairman of the Movement caucus in Parliament, Bakabulindi confirmed that the money was being dished out "but only to a few NRM members who have been assigned duties." Bakabulindi further said that it was not a flat rate of Shs5 million, but some were even getting Shs 10m depending on their duties.

Bakabulindi said the money was being dished out to MPs from Mosa Courts rather than Parliament Building because it is for the party activities of the NRM party. Bakabulindi added that if the money was meant for parliamentary activities, it would have been given out to MPs through the Clerk of Parliament.

But Ssekikubo yesterday warned against "blackmail of MPs and thus distorting and circumventing the proper procedures and conducive environment for the constitutional review exercise. The process is equally important as the exercise itself." Ssekikubo said that Bakabulindi told him the money is targeting 240 MPs.

When Ssekikubo was going to address the press conference at Parliament Building yesterday, NRM hardliners Prof. Semakula Kiwanuka, also State Minister for Luweero, and MP Nyombi Tembo, came to attend even when they had not been invited. Both later slipped out immediately Ssekikubo mentioned the Shs5 million bribe.

Kibaale County MP Capt. Charles Byaruhanga while contributing to a debate on political corruption in local governments yesterday said MPs have no moral authority to fight corruption because they openly accept bribes.

He told a workshop organised for MPs and the civil society at Grand Imperial Hotel to mark the anti corruption week - that government gave out Shs 7bn to Movement MPs who would support Kisanja, a popular vernacular reference to the third term.

He said Minister Hope Mwesigye and MPs Olive Wonekha and Bakkabulindi gave out the money.

"The money was transferred from Bank of Baroda and given to only Movement MPs who would support the third term," Byaruhanga said.

"When MP Ssekikubo went to get the Shs5m as a Member of Parliament, he was told to first address the press and declare his support for the third term. But this is taxpayers money and where do the MPs get the moral authority to sign for the Shs 5m," wondered Byaruhanga.

He said the Shs5m was given to third term supporters to preach the White Paper in their constituencies.

He said government also frustrated the Young Parliamentary Association (YPA) to enhance corruption in Parliament.

At the same workshop Mbarara Woman MP, Ms Miria Matembe, said some MPs are compromised in order to defend government positions even when government is wrong.

"MPs should stop deceiving us that they are fighting corruption. They should not defend certain positions if they want to fight corruption," Matembe said.

[Ugnet] Third Term MPs Get Shs5 Million

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