The current political trickery in the Umbrella camp which exposes the scuffle between Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi and Mathias Mpuuga leaves Mpuuga defaced and vulnerable comparable to the biblical context in Leviticus 16.
According to the instructions in Leviticus 16, the high priest at that time, Aaron had specific duties on the Day of Atonement. The goat chosen for the Lord was used as a sin offering for the people. The scapegoat was then sent into the wilderness, and the sins of the people “escaped” through this atoning act.
NUP party president Robert disgruntled decided to taint former leader of opposition Mathias Mpuuga as an epitome of corruption in the party ignoring other allegations on other members of the same party.
The statement issued by the National Unity Platform on 29th February, 2024 on corruption and abuse of office strongly affirms known pre-existent misconduct on grounds of illicit money transfers and prevalence of corrupt tendencies within its party members.
“Some leaders on the opposition side have had serious allegations of corruption leveled against them. Specifically, our former leader of the opposition and current Parliamentary Commissioner, Rt. Hon. Mathias Mpuuga alongside three other Parliamentary Commissioners have been accused of irregularly awarding themselves high sums of tax payers money on the pre-text of “’service award,” alleged the statement.
Ironically, it appears NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi in height of these allegations personally made an irrational decision to cause an impromptu meeting with top leaders of the party. The resolution? Mathias Mpuugas acknowledgement and subsequent apology for acquisition of the 500Million shilling stripping Mpuuga of his morality.
Kyagulanyi’s judgement of Mpuuga raises the question. Was it baseless or biased? Considering the fact that the time line between the accusations and the judgement passed on the accused leaves little or no room for ample collection and submission of facts and evidence hence limiting the right to fair hearing.
The choice of words presented in the document blatantly points at Mpuuga as the sole face of corruption in NUP party ignoring the two other faceless individuals noted yet to simmer on the NUP grill for fate sealing.
Nevertheless, Article 87A of the Constitution establishes a corporate body; “Parliamentary Commission’’ responsible for the organisation and strategic guidance of the Parliament of Uganda. As a member of this commission, Mpuuga is entitled to appropriation of gratuity funds which could the funds in question and similarly shuns the efforts by the party to oust him from the commission.
Appearing on NBS Frontline on 29th February, 2024, former Makindye East MP, Hon. Mabike Michael alludes to the situation in NUP as populism. A stunt made by Robert Kyagulanyi who received a sum of 320 million shillings as “gratuity’’ on his entry into the parliament in 2017.
“What is happening inside NUP is a witch hunt of a potential opponent. Bobi wine is trying to witch hunt, slander, spoil and destroy the stature of a prominent leader because he fears that this leader has more credibility to stand against him.’’ Said Hon. Mabike.
The rift between Mathias Mpuuga and Robert Kyagulanyi started widening when Kyagulanyi on December 22, 2023, made a significant move by replacing Mathias Mpuuga as the Leader of Opposition in Parliament.
This decision marked a pivotal shift in the previously subtle conflict between the two-party figures, escalating it into an open confrontation. Mpuuga, serving as the NUP deputy president for the Buganda region, has been increasingly in the spotlight due to a widening rift with key party leaders.
Inconclusively, moving forward, transparency and moral standards in the NUP fraternity should be subject to open scrutiny and profound reflection by especially the party faithfuls. The fate of the party solely depends on the core values of the party and capability of their leaders to uphold these values.
