MPs to debate Namuganza censure motion on Monday

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Parliament will on Monday debate the censure motion against Persis Princess Namuganza, the State Minister for Lands, Housing, and Urban Development.

The motion is the third item on the order paper issued on Friday by the Clerk to Parliament, Adolf Mwesige Kasaija.

The seven-member Select Committee of Parliament chaired by Mwine Mpaka, the Mbarara City South Division MP which was appointed by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa on January 6, 2023, to investigate Namuganza over alleged transgression against Parliament will present its report.

The committee summoned Namuganza three times to defend herself against the accusations levied against her but failed to appear and only sent her lawyer, Norman Pande to present a letter in which she cited sub judice and short notice as reasons for not appearing.

While meeting the Committee last week, the lawyer argued his client was not served the pieces of evidence of the allegations levied against her in the motion which could not enable her to prepare her ground to make a defense.

MPs led by John Amos Okot, the Agago North Member of Parliament tabled before the Committee newspaper articles, video footage extracted from a YouTube channel, and clips that aired on NTV and NBS news bulletin pinning Namuganza for attacking Parliament.

Dan Kimosho, the Kazo County Member of Parliament one of 200 MPs who signed the petition and also presented evidence to support the censure motion against the Minister reiterated that the only action that should be taken against Namuganzais censure.

In December, Okot moved a motion seeking a resolution of Parliament to censure Namuganza, who also doubles as the Bukono County MP in Namisindwa district for contempt of Parliament after 200 legislators signed a petition to support the process. Trouble for Namuganza started in May after an ad-hoc Committee implicated Namuganza for unlawful involvement in the 142-acre Nakawa-Nagura Housing estate land giveaway to some investors purportedly on the President’s directive for a satellite city.

The Minister walked out of the meeting convened by the ad-hoc Committee and later made public comments that Parliament, which vetted her appointment after being seconded to the Ministry by the President, does not have the right to investigate her.

She has since denied any wrongdoing and declined to apologize insisting that she is innocent but only witch hunted by Speaker Anita Among who wants to satisfy a personal vendetta and ego against her.

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URN