The Speaker of Parliament, Ms. Anita Among, has said that the National Unity Platform (NUP) party lacks the authority to recall Mr. Mathias Mpuuga from his position as Commissioner of Parliament.
In a letter dated March 25, 2024, addressed to Mr. David Lewis Rubongoya, the Secretary General of NUP, Ms. Among clarified that according to the law, political parties are only permitted to nominate candidates for the election to the office of Commissioner of Parliament.
Ms. Among referenced Rubongoya’s letter dated March 18, 2024, in which he conveyed NUP’s decision to recall Mr. Mpuuga as Commissioner of Parliament and replace him with Mr. Francis Zaake.
“Parliamentary Commissioners are elected by Parliament as outlined in section 2 of the Administration of Parliament, Cap 257, and rule 11 (4) of the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament of the Republic of Uganda. The involvement of political parties is confined to nominating candidates for election to the office of the commissioner of parliament as specified in sub-section 2(2b),” Ms. Among’s letter stated.
She emphasized that NUP’s directive lacks legal foundation.
“To comply with your (NUP) request would be tantamount to restricting the authority vested in the House by section 5 of the Administration of Parliament Act, which could lead to undesirable legal consequences, as per the decision of the Constitutional Court of Uganda in Fox Odoi-Oywelowo and James Akampumuza Versus Attorney General, Constitutional petition number 8 of 2003,” Mr. Among added. “Therefore, I cannot implement it.”
The Speaker’s response was made public shortly after Mr. Mpuuga addressed journalists on Tuesday, asserting his commitment to NUP and his refusal to step down from the parliamentary commission.
“I refuse to respond to that letter, except to reaffirm my stance as previously communicated to the Party and the nation that I deny any wrongdoing, either in law or common sense. The legal position has been clarified for those willing to comprehend, and not for those who seek to slander me or gain political advantage from the current situation,” Mr. Mpuuga stated during a press briefing at Parliament.
He declared his intention to remain within NUP, which he helped establish, and pledged to contribute to its improvement and the enforcement of discipline among its members.
“I am a founding member of NUP, not a newcomer. I played a role in its establishment and currently serve as the deputy president in charge of Buganda. I want to reaffirm that I am not leaving NUP, nor am I here to undermine it. So, for those who thought they could force me out… I am here to stay,” Mr. Mpuuga added.
