Top NRM MPs Fired As Parliamentary Committee Chairpersons Including Speaker Among’s Husband Magogo – Museveni Vows To Fight Against Corruption
The Central Executive Committee (CEC) of Uganda’s ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) convened at State House Entebbe recently to address the selection of new chairpersons for Parliament’s 15 sectoral committees and their deputies.
Chaired by President Museveni, who heads the party, the meeting saw changes in committee leadership, with several incumbents replaced.
Among those affected were Budiope East MP Moses Hashim Magogo, previously chairing the ICT and National Guidance Committee, and Mbarara South Division MP Mwine Mpaka, who led the Tourism, Trade and Industry Committee. Also replaced were Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee chairperson Ms Robina Gureme Rwakoojo and her deputy, Bunyole East MP Yusuf Mutembuli, currently facing corruption charges.
Changes extended to deputy positions as well, such as Lira District Woman MP Agnes Linda Auma being succeeded by Mubende District’s Hope Nakazibwe in the Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries Committee. Ayivu East Division MP Geofrey Feta took over the Environment and Natural Resources Committee from Budaama County’s Dr Emmanuel Otaala.
The reshuffle was part of a broader initiative to rotate committee leadership, following a resolution made by CEC in 2021 stipulating term limits for such roles. The government’s Chief Whip, Hamson Obua, is tasked with formally announcing the replacements, ensuring a stringent selection process aimed at maintaining integrity within the committees.
Appointees are expected to go through a rigorous process to weed out what sources called “bad apples”. Parliament, which had been destined to sit yesterday, was called off at the last minute to enable CEC to hold the meeting which Speaker Anita Among also attended.
The House is expected to sit today with four items on the Order Paper, with the most important one being the designation of members to sectoral committees following Rule 187 and 188 of the Rules of Procedure, which has been allocated 30 minutes.The meeting, originally scheduled during a parliamentary session, necessitated its postponement, allowing CEC to convene.
In attendanceVideo footage shared by State House shows Mr Museveni chairing the meeting where different NRM officials, including National Vice Chairperson Moses Kigongo, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, Secretary General Richard Todwong, Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Affairs Rebecca Kadaga, Information Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi, Mr Obua, former premier Ruhakana Rugunda, chairperson of NRM Electoral Commission Tanga Odoi, Security Minister Jim Muhwezi, were in attendance.
Mr Museveni, sources said, reiterated his determination to fight corruption, and commented on the violent rearrest of the Busiki MP Paul Akamba at court on Friday after being granted bail. Mr Mutembuli and Lwengo District Woman MP Cissy Namujju were arrested last week and arraigned before court where they were charged with corruption.
Mr Akamba who had secured the bail on Friday last week, was rearrested by security operatives and driven to an unknown destination.The remaining duo were on Monday committed to the High Court where they will battle the charges.
CEC earlier sat on Tuesday last week and was chaired by Mr Kigongo to discuss the same matter which differed the sitting to yesterday.Meanwhile, sources quoted President Museveni as saying that the issue of commissioners and service awards will be discussed on another day because it requires enough time.
NRM spokesperson Emmanuel Dombo told NTV yesterday that the appointment was in line with a resolution that was taken by CEC in 2021.
“A resolution was taken in 2021 that all the members who have served two consecutive terms or others who were lucky to have served three because the CE did not sit in the previous resignations, will be rotated purely because it is a decision that CEC took in 2021,” Mr Dombo said.