Mafabi stops opposition MPs from chairing committees

By Joyce Namutebi                        

In addition to suspending shadow cabinet ministers whose parties fronted candidates for the East African Legislative Assembly, the leader of opposition in Parliament, Nandala Mafabi has withdrawn two opposition MPs from chairing committees.

The affected MPs are Maxwell Ebong Akora (UPC) who has been vice chairperson of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and Florence Namayanja (DP) who has been vice chairperson of the Local Government Accounts Committee.

"We have withdrawn Maxwell from PAC and Namayanaja, the vice chairperson of the Local Government Accounts Committee," Mafabi told journalists in his office on Friday. "They betrayed our cause," he said.

The accountability committees in Parliament are chaired by the opposition.

When contacted late Friday, Namayanja said she had not received any communication to that effect. "Let us wait for the communication," she said.

But Akora could not be reached for comment as he did not pick up his phone from our call.

Mafabi said the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party was reviewing the shadow cabinet and would soon announce the changes. He, however, stated that they had no further dealings with UPC on the shadow cabinet.

"The whole of UPC is going," he said.

He, however, pointed out that FDC was now going to work with individuals in the opposition parties in Parliament other than the parties themselves. "We are still making analysis regarding which individuals we can work with and not the parties."

In the just concluded EALA elections, DP had fielded Fred Mukasa Mbidde and UPC Chris Opoka, both of whom were elected.

Mafabi accused Mbidde and DP President, Nobert Mao of working with NRM.