Two NRM MPs Sent Back To Luzira, One MP Granted Bail Under Strict Conditions As NRM Top Organ Is Set To Decide The Fate Of These ‘Corrupt’ MPs

The Anti-corruption Court remanded three National Resistance Movement (NRM) legislators—Cissy Namujju from Lwengo District, Paul Akamba from Busiki County, and Yusuf Mutembuli from Bunyole East—at Luzira prisons for alleged corruption.

According to the Prosecution, on May 13, 2024, at hotel Africana in Kampala, the MPs solicited an undue advantage of 20% of the expected increased budget of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) for the fiscal year 2024/2025 from Mariam Wangadya, the Chairperson of the UHRC.

They purportedly claimed they could influence the Budget Committee of the Parliament of Uganda to raise the UHRC budget in exchange for the kickback.

This was reportedly done by asserting that the MPs were able to exert improper influence over the decision-making of the Budget Committee of the Parliament of Uganda to increase the UHRC budget, in consideration of the said undue advantage.

After missing the Budget reading session at Kololo independence grounds, they appeared in court today for their bail hearing. They presented their sureties, whose papers are being verified by the prosecution.

Hon Cissy Namujju’s sureties are Muhammad Ssentayi, the Bukoto West MP; Hajji Hassan Bulwadda, her business partner and friend; and Ssemwwanga Gyavira, MP for Buyamba County.

Akamba presented Mariam Naigaga, MP for Namutumba district; MP Robert Kasolo of Iki Iki Constituency; and MP Henry Kibalya Maurice. Mutembuli’s sureties include Namukose Minsa Kirya, a community development officer in Mukono, who is his sister.

The Anti- Corruption Court has however denied bail to Hon. Cissy Namujju and Yusuf Mutembuli and remanded them till 17th June when they will return.

Their third counterpart Paul Akamba was granted a UGX13 million cash and UGX100 million non cash bail.

Trouble for the accused persons started last week after President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni during the State of the Nation Address, revealed that he has overwhelming evidence of corruption among public officials.

Museveni said the MPs allegedly colluded with accounting officers,  the Ministry of Finance, and the Bank of Uganda to make allocations of Public resources in exchange for kickbacks (bribes) and promised to crush them.

During the handover ceremony of the new leadership of the Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Youth Affairs (UPFYA) at parliament yesterday, the Deputy Speaker Rt Hon Thomas Tayebwa warned the MPs to refrain from corruption, stating that they should be prepared for consequences.

However, he assured that parliament would support the arrested MPs until they are proven guilty.