Ugandan MP Barnabas Tinkasimire Accuses Colleagues of Prioritizing Personal Gain Over Duties

Ugandan Member of Parliament (MP) Barnabas Tinkasimire has accused many of his colleagues of prioritizing personal financial gain over their legislative duties. This accusation has intensified public outrage, especially in light of the recent budget amendments for the fiscal year 2024/25, which saw an increase from 52.736 trillion shillings to 72 trillion shillings—a substantial 19.394 trillion shillings hike.

Why this matters: The accusations of corruption and prioritization of personal gain over duties by Ugandan MPs have significant implications for the country's governance and democratic institutions. If left unchecked, it could lead to further erosion of public trust and undermine the effectiveness of government programs and services.

Tinkasimire's allegations are not isolated. The Ugandan Parliament has faced multiple scandals over the years, including the 2011 Oil Bribery Scandal, the 2013 National Social Security Fund (NSSF) scandal, and the 2020 reports of mismanagement of COVID-19 relief funds. These incidents have contributed to a growing perception of endemic corruption within the government.

The controversy has sparked a censure motion led by Hon Theodore Ssekikubo, targeting parliamentary commissioners who allegedly awarded themselves 400 million and 500 million shillings unconstitutionally. This motion, while aimed at accountability, also raises concerns about political motivations and the potential betrayal of public trust.

Ugandan State Minister for Housing, Persis Namuganza, has also voiced her concerns about the pervasive corruption in Parliament. Namuganza, who represents Bukono County in Namutumba District, Eastern Uganda, has described corruption as a 'cancer' that has diminished the value of the legislative body. She has signed the censure motion and urged other MPs to follow suit, stating that those who refuse to sign are likely direct beneficiaries of corruption.

'The issue at hand is corruption. It has become a cancer in this country and some of us don’t like corruption. Our party, NRM is losing popularity because of corruption. Parliament has lost its value because of corruption,' Namuganza stated.

Namuganza's stance has received support from both the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party and Opposition legislators. The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, has described the censure motion as vindication for the National Unity Platform (NUP). He emphasized that the unauthorized service awards stand in sharp contrast to the authorized emoluments for leaders like the Vice President and Speaker.

The motion targets commissioners Esther Afoyochan, Prossy Akampurira, Solomon Silwany, and Mathias Mpuuga, who are accused of illegally allocating themselves Shs1.7 billion in 'service awards.' The campaign for signatures has gained momentum, with reports suggesting that some legislators have petitioned court seeking legal interventions against the censure motion.

Key Takeaways

• Ugandan MP Barnabas Tinkasimire accuses colleagues of prioritizing personal gain over duties.
• Recent budget amendments saw a 19.394 trillion shillings hike, sparking public outrage.
• Corruption allegations have significant implications for Uganda's governance and democracy.
• A censure motion targets parliamentary commissioners accused of unconstitutional service awards.
• State Minister Persis Namuganza describes corruption as a "cancer" that has diminished Parliament's value.