KAMPALA. The Member of Parliament for Nyendo – Mukungwe, Mathias Mpuuga has told off the National Unity (NuP) Principal Robert Kyagulanyi he is powerless to sack “me- and any pretence to be doing so is probably self- gratification”.
“It (suspension) was motivated by probably personal gratification and the need to show off power- which is very dangerous. It’s inconsequential,” Mpuuga told Kaggwa Njala’s NBS morning breeze show on NBS TV on Thursday Morning.
“If you appoint me, it’s not a matter of magnanimity. It’s because your power is clothed in the constitution. Where you do not have those powers to suspend, you cannot exercise them (and) suspending a deputy president, is at least not one of them,” Mpuuga said accusing Bobi Wine of acting without legal basis.
He ruled out any form of reconciliation unless “individuals realise their mistake.”
“It’s up to them to climb down their high horse and say, we think this was badly handled. When that is done, what is my reaction subsequently will be from my heart to make a choice as whether I am able to carry on or not. But for anybody to remain on the high horse and make a claim out of space, I cannot accept,” Mpuuga said.
Mpuuga’s latest interview appears to be yet another escalation that started with his sacking as the Leader of opposition in December to the revelation in February this year that Mpuuga as commissioner of Parliament had partcipated in apportioning himself with others Shs.1.7bn as service awards in their roles as commissioners of Parliament and him as LoP who served between 2021 and 2024. He was subsequently ordered to apologise but he refused leading to his name being withdrawn as commissioner of Parliament and later being sacked as Vice President.
in his interview, Mpuuga said his share was legal and that if it were not, people should have a right to challenge it. He argued the same commission that gave vehicle grants and other emoluments to members of parliament asking why now in his case people are calling him a thief.
“But because I know that there’s nothing wrong with it then I have no reason to back down over blackmail,” Mpuuga said before he lashed out at his party leadership calling them unready to lead the country.
“I think it puts into perspective a number of questions, the readiness of some of us to offer leadership even when faced with a crisis. Leadership is about facing challenges and finding solutions.”
But Mpuuga and his supporters have been accused of attempting to shift the debate from corruption and abuse of office by arguing that NUP is investing resources to character assassinate Mpuuga.
His camp have since advanced arguments such as NUP is run by Bobi Wine’s family and they have called for the party to come clean on the issue of homosexuality- calling for the party’s official position.
Mpuuga told the morning Breeze “you would imagine that the person you assume to be a friend would handle you in a collegial manner.”
“It’s a natural reaction that anybody would go out over their way to try and tarnish my name and then feel a sense of self-satisfaction. That you go out of your way to call a press conference, to go to funerals,” Mpuuga said.
Mpuuga’s defence of the heist comes at a time Bobi Wine the country’s economy is in shambles with traders in Kampala on a strike over double taxes and some people are arguing money being collected is enjoyed by a few political leaders through corruption.
In his Eid Message yesterday, Bobi said sided with the protesting traders telling them to carry on because money the country’s infrastructure and service delivery as well the socio-economic standard has been neglected.
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