The Executive Director of the Anti- Corruption Coalition Uganda (ACCU) Cissy Kagaba, has blamed President Yoweri Museveni for attacking Parliament over probing Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr. Monica Musenero.
Ms. Kagaba said it was a shameful act for a President who promised Ugandans that this term is for fighting corruption, to defend a person who is being accused of embezzlement.
She added that President Museveni’s threatening comments have already created fear in some of the select committee members since the majority of them belong to the ruling party-NRM.
“The investigations would have gone on well but in our Parliament, most members don’t have a strong backbone to stand on the truth. And it has become worse when the President came out and threatened them. In good faith, Parliament would have persisted and found out the truth but what the President did was not right because Parliament is independent and his comments have already affected some members on the select committe,” Ms Kagaba said over the weekend.
She however challenged Parliament to show the public that they are an independent institution that is not threatened by forces of the executive arm.
“President Museveni has always told Ugandans that one of his major targets this term is to fight corruption but when he comes out and defends the accused people, it is too worrying. This clearly means the President has always been lying to us that he is fighting corruption.”
Last week, President Museveni attacked Parliament for accusing Dr. Musenero of embezzling Shs31bn meant for Covid-19 vaccine development.
Ntungamo Municipality lawmaker Yona Musinguzi pinned the minister and brought documents before the House detailing how she used money into her own businesses, a matter that forced the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Anita Among to come up with a select committee that would carry out investigations into the allegations which were made by Musinguzi.
However, President Museveni warned legislators to back off his decorated scientist.
“I saw people attacking Musenero in Parliament. Normally I quote the Bible but this time I want to quote the Americans, Apparently, Americans have a law, which makes it an offence to attack a decorated officer of the US army. Now I see some people attacking Musenero, little do they Musenero is a decorated scientist.”
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