The Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among has rejected the request by the National Unity Platform to recall Mathias Mpuuga from the Parliamentary Commissioner citing legal limitations. The Speaker made the communication in response to the NUP in a letter dated 26th March 2024.
Speaker Among, in a statement, emphasized the need to follow the legal framework governing the appointment and removal of parliamentary commissioners. “The commissioners, once elected by Parliament, serve the entire body and can only vacate their position or be removed by the law,” wrote Among.
Speaker Among also referred to the Administration of Parliament Act and the Rules of Procedure, where she outlined the grounds for the removal of a commissioner, such as incapacity to perform duties due to reasons like infirmity, misconduct, or incompetence.
“Parties do not possess the necessary legal authority to recall a commissioner once elected by Parliament,” said Among.
Highlighting procedural flaws in NUP’s request, Speaker Among pointed out that the letter did not meet the requirements stipulated in rule 110 of the Rules of Procedure.
“The aforementioned letter fails to meet the requirements of rule 110 of the Rules of Procedure and is thus incurably defective,” wrote Among.
Speaker Among issued a stern warning against attempts to bypass established legal procedures, citing potential legal consequences.
“Granting your request would amount to restraining the authority vested in the House, as clearly stated in section 5 of the Administration of Parliament Act,” she stated, referring to a precedent set by the Constitutional Court of Uganda.
In a letter dated March 18, 2024, NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya notified the Speaker of the Party’s decision to nominate Zaake Francis (Mityana Municipality) to replace Mathias Mpuuga ad Commissioner of Parliament.
He said the Party had decided to withdraw its nomination of Mpuuga and consequently recalled him from that position.
NUP’s letter to the Speaker further states, “If Hon. Mathias Mpuuga remains in the Parliamentary Commission as a Member, he will do so without the mandate of the Party and the opposition platform.”
NUP accuses Mathias Mpuuga of engaging in corruption and abuse of office after he alongside members of the NRM Parliamentary Commission allocated 1.7 billion shillings as “service awards” where Mpuuga personally received 500 at the time when he was the Leader of Opposition.
