MPs turn the heat on MP Lukwago
MPs have demanded that their Kampala Central colleague, Erias Lukwago, be disciplined for leaking a committee report to Nakasero Market vendors before it was presented to the House.
By Joyce Namutebi
and Cyprian Musoke
MPs have demanded that their Kampala Central colleague, Erias Lukwago, be disciplined for leaking a committee report to Nakasero Market vendors before it was presented to the House.
The MPs were furious that some members of the local government accounts committee had been accused of taking bribes to influence their report on the market.
They said the leakage and the bribery allegations tainted the image of Parliament and put its integrity at stake.
FDC MPs Geoffrey Ekanya and Nabilah Naggayi were implicated in the bribery claims, which they have denied.
“It is unfortunate this has happened. It raises questions on the person who has leaked the report. It taints the image of this institution,†said parliamentary commissioner Justine Kasule Lumumba (NRM).
She moved a motion that Lukwago be referred to the disciplinary committee, saying he should take responsibility for his actions.
Lumumba added that the leakage had caused problems to the business community in Kampala.
On Monday, vendors in Nakasero Market rioted, accusing the committee of altering a report to favour businessman Hassan Basajjabalaba, who is conflicting with them over the market’s ownership.
Lumumba accused some MPs of abusing their immunity by making allegations against their colleagues without evidence.
However, Speaker Edward Ssekandi deferred the matter to today, pending a presentation by the leader of the opposition, Ogenga Latigo.
Latigo informed the House that opposition MPs yesterday discussed the matter but were yet to reach a conclusion.
He said they were to conclude the meeting yesterday evening and present a formal report to the House today.
But he noted that it was wrong for a draft report of a committee to be discussed in public before it was presented to the House.
Ssekandi also warned the MPs against leaking their reports. He cautioned the committees against making resolutions in the presence of witnesses.
Meanwhile, the information minister, Kirunda Kivejinja, was yesterday sworn in as an ex-officio MP.
and Cyprian Musoke
MPs have demanded that their Kampala Central colleague, Erias Lukwago, be disciplined for leaking a committee report to Nakasero Market vendors before it was presented to the House.
The MPs were furious that some members of the local government accounts committee had been accused of taking bribes to influence their report on the market.
They said the leakage and the bribery allegations tainted the image of Parliament and put its integrity at stake.
FDC MPs Geoffrey Ekanya and Nabilah Naggayi were implicated in the bribery claims, which they have denied.
“It is unfortunate this has happened. It raises questions on the person who has leaked the report. It taints the image of this institution,†said parliamentary commissioner Justine Kasule Lumumba (NRM).
She moved a motion that Lukwago be referred to the disciplinary committee, saying he should take responsibility for his actions.
Lumumba added that the leakage had caused problems to the business community in Kampala.
On Monday, vendors in Nakasero Market rioted, accusing the committee of altering a report to favour businessman Hassan Basajjabalaba, who is conflicting with them over the market’s ownership.
Lumumba accused some MPs of abusing their immunity by making allegations against their colleagues without evidence.
However, Speaker Edward Ssekandi deferred the matter to today, pending a presentation by the leader of the opposition, Ogenga Latigo.
Latigo informed the House that opposition MPs yesterday discussed the matter but were yet to reach a conclusion.
He said they were to conclude the meeting yesterday evening and present a formal report to the House today.
But he noted that it was wrong for a draft report of a committee to be discussed in public before it was presented to the House.
Ssekandi also warned the MPs against leaking their reports. He cautioned the committees against making resolutions in the presence of witnesses.
Meanwhile, the information minister, Kirunda Kivejinja, was yesterday sworn in as an ex-officio MP.