The Speaker of Parliament, Ms. Anita Among, alongside five Commissioners of Parliament, including Nyendo-Mukungwe MP Mathias Mpuuga, Bukooli County Central MP Solomon Silwany, Rubanda Woman MP Prossy Mbabazi Akampurira, and Zombo Woman MP Esther Afoyochan, have been summoned to the Anti-Corruption Court concerning a contentious service award they purportedly received.
The charges stem from allegations that the group, on a specified date in May 2022, conspired to defraud the public, Parliament, the Consolidated Fund, and taxpayers of an amount totaling Shs1.7 billion under the guise of a one-time pay-off service award. According to the charge sheet, Mr. Mpuuga, Mr. Silwany, Ms. Akampurira, Ms. Afoyochan, and Ms. Among are accused of participating in a conspiracy to achieve this unlawful purpose through deceitful and fraudulent means.
Former Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Mr. Mpuuga, purportedly received Shs500 million as part of the service award, while the other commissioners allegedly received Shs400 million each. These allegations have led to a litany of charges, including money laundering, theft, obtaining money by pretense, cheating, and conspiracy to defraud, among others, filed against the accused.
City lawyer Hassan Male Mabirizi has taken up the case for private prosecution. In an affidavit submitted on April 15, Mr. Mabirizi asserts that the meeting convened by the five commissioners to approve the service award minutes was unlawful, contravening both the Constitution and the Administration of Parliament Act. He argues that such matters should have been brought before Parliament through a government-sponsored motion, allowing legislators to deliberate and decide on the issue.
The legal action against the parliamentarians marks a significant development in the ongoing controversy surrounding the service award. As the case unfolds in the Anti-Corruption Court, it underscores the importance of transparency, accountability, and adherence to legal procedures in the management of public funds and parliamentary affairs.
The accused individuals will have the opportunity to present their defense and respond to the allegations leveled against them. The outcome of the trial will have far-reaching implications for parliamentary ethics and governance in Uganda, shaping public perceptions of integrity and accountability within the country’s legislative institutions.
